


Monster Beneath Your Skin

by thebluesweater



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Blood and Violence, Emotional Constipation, Eventual Romance, Friendship, Gen, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic, Minor Character Death, Original Character(s), Pack Feels, Possession, Scenting, Supernatural Elements, Suspense, Tragedy, Underage Drinking, Wolf AU, fair warning: Renjun gets hurt a lot, jeneun siblings ftw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2020-08-11 19:40:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 94,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20159011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebluesweater/pseuds/thebluesweater
Summary: Gasping, Renjun turned to the other, expression looking scandalized. Jaemin could not be serious, right now. Him? And Jeno? Definitely, never going to happen. Ever. Anyway, the other was way out of his league-Renjun cleared his throat.Also.Just a while ago, Jeno was threatening his life, flashing electric blue eyes and growling at him. Renjun couldn’t help but shiver at the absurd insinuation of Jaemin’s words, feeling mortified.Groaning, he scratched his head. “Oh my God, Jaemin. It wasn’t like that.”“Sure, it wasn’t. Yet.”(alternatively, Renjun got into an unavoidable and dangerous situation because of his bad luck, Jeno was an emotionally constipated wolf and a serial murder case was out to ruin everyone's summer for good.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is inspired by Teen Wolf (c) Jeff Davis. Specifically, S03-B.
> 
> Any copy of the fic in other platforms besides this one in my page is NOT allowed. Do NOT repost the fic anywhere.
> 
> There will be mistakes. Sorry in advance.
> 
> Thank you to [slythos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/slythos/pseuds/slythos) for encouraging me to write this fic. :*
> 
> Enjoy!

Ever since the Big Supes Revelation five or so years ago, in which all kinds of supernatural beings that one could’ve ever thought of had strong armed and finally made themselves known to the human population for everyone’s peace of mind and safety, Renjun Huang had thought that nothing could ever surprised him anymore.

Tonight was proving him wrong, though.

Renjun hated his friends. They’re all idiots. But that wasn’t the surprise he was unprepared for since that much was already a given. The surprise would come later.

He hated them with a passion. Despised them so much that he’s considering performing homicidal acts. He was very tempted to start stabbing his friends with a knife any moment now. Or with a stick. Or maybe with a very sharp and pointed tree branch considering there was no knife in the vicinity and they were all seated around a bonfire in the middle of the Preserve.

The Preserve was the woods that took up almost half of their town’s land area. Dense with greens and large, old trees, the small forest was a home to different kinds of animals, tame and wild alike. The Preserve stretched as far and as wide as their little county go.

Beautiful during the day, the area was peaceful and  _ nature-y, _ if Renjun would put it for the lack of better words. But when the sun set on the horizon and the moon rises with the dark, it could get dangerous since there were a lot of wild animals that went bump in the night. Not to mention the supernatural creatures who didn’t follow the law and maul humans (literally) for food (also literally, unfortunately).

Let’s just say that Renjun? Not a huge fan of the Preserve. He didn’t want to be turned into a human chow for animals and supes alike.

Hence, the reason why he hated what his friends were about to make him do.

“Can’t I at least take Xiaojun with me? Come on, guys. You’re really going to let me walk through the woods alone?”

Renjun also hated that he couldn't hide the whine that accompanied his voice. But he was  _ very  _ human and  _ very  _ fragile.

Not having the same regenerating abilities like most of the supes, Renjun would really prefer to avoid his limbs getting detached from his body or getting ripped to shreds by the end of the night, thank you very much. 

Truth or Dares sucked, plain and simple.

There was a reason why Renjun didn’t like participating in one especially when you’re doing it out in the woods in the middle of the night with only barely legal teenagers and illegally obtained alcohol.

Peer pressure was what gets teenagers like him killed most of the time. Seriously, didn’t his friends watch slasher films? This was how the first victim of the killer always die in them. Alone. In the dark. He didn't have any hard data at hand to back that statement up but he’s pretty certain that there was some semblance of truth in those films.

However, their junior year had just ended and most of them were leaving Wilhelmville for the summer. Some of his friends had gotten themselves into a shitty part-time job for the two-month vacation that will probably take most of their time and won't let them hang out with the  _ complete  _ group for quite a while.

This was their last day together until everyone dispersed to do their own thing and everyone had decided to just chill and gather around. Have fun. Get wild.

Thus, the situation in front: Renjun and the good ol’ truth or dare.

Renjun was definitely missing the fun part of it now that it was his turn. Stupid Chenle and his goddamn game suggestions. Seriously, truth or dares were for freshmen. They’re already counting their days off to their senior year.

(Well, it was actually fun seeing Chenle sniffed Jaemin’s sock and learn the truth behind the Rogue Underwear Thief Debacle early last year. Spoiler alert: The culprit was Jaemin.

But Renjun would never admit that he enjoyed the game now that he’s the one being given a dare.

An irrational one at that.)

“Stop being a wuss, Huang,” Chenle smirked at him and Renjun hoped that eye daggers were real because he was sending one to his mouthy fair skinned friend. Renjun wasn’t a wuss. He just preferred himself  _ breathing  _ and  _ not  _ hurt. Renjun liked being alive, thank you very much. “You just have to take a picture of yourself with the Big Tree. That’s like, less than a five minute walk away from here.”

_ The Big Tree wasn’t even a tree anymore, _ Renjun countered in his mind.

It used to be one. The tree was tall, thick and menacing when they were younger. But now, it’s just a huge cut off tree trunk that looked like a stumped table in the middle of the woods. The tree was famous in their small town, had a dark reel of stories that could go on for ages.

Renjun’s favorite one had the elders in the town doing a sign of the cross whenever someone would mention it. Back then, they thought the tree was possessed by an evil entity, something to do with how two people had hung themselves on its sturdy branches. Really gross, by the way.

They had it cut and blessed and all that. Some people said that the tree was magical, and it was what made the Preserve and their town become prosperous. But those were just local bedtime stories the elders of the town love to tell the little kids.

Well, scratch that. They  _ were  _ bedtime stories until the big supernatural revelation happened. Turns out, those rumors about the tree being magical? All true.

They found out that the Big Tree was also what they now called a Nemeton. When the supes revealed themselves, the tree was also identified as a dead center of the convergence of Telluric currents. In short, the tree was a fucking supernatural nuclear magic source. And humans like him should not be fucking with it since it attracted both good and bad.

One could say that it’s the perfect place for fake courageous and very human teenagers to do some supernatural adventures and all that jazz.

(Actually, the bit about the two hanged bodies was also true. The possession was just a bit exaggerated and romanticized. It was found out later that the bodies were hanged there to make it look like suicide to hide that everything was a cult sacrifice. It happened long before the Supernatural Revelation fiasco when Renjun was about eight years old.

Renjun wondered if the cult had known that the Big Tree was a Nemeton,then but he never got his answer. It had been ten years since then and Renjun could still vividly remember the pictures from the crime scene.

They were beheaded. Their heads were on the floor, their bodies pinned on the tree trunk with a wooden stake.

However, any of this wasn’t made public. The town hid it for some reason beyond Renjun’s belief. He guessed it was so tourists would still hike on the Preserve on occasions since it was a great terrain for trekkers and hikers.

Good thing his mom was a cop. And Renjun was a nosy child.

The culprits were not as subtle as they seemed to be. They’re all behind bars now, anyway.)

“Exactly! That’s why I need Xiaojun. Who’s going to take a picture of me with the tree if I’m alone by myself?” Renjun, not one to pass up an opportunity to be a pain in the ass and also save his ass, exclaimed. Xiaojun was known in their friend group as the brave, calm and collected one. Renjun would’ve gone for his bestfriend, Jaemin, but ten out of ten scary situations, he knew by heart that Jaemin would be the first one to run, leaving him behind to die without a glance. He settled for Xiaojun, the safest and smartest choice. Yay for friendship!

“You do know that front cameras exist right?” Xiaojun commented with a small voice.

“Really-,” Renjun threw a glare to Xiaojun, feeling all kinds of betrayed. He would like to reiterate at this moment that he hated his friends and that they all suck.

“Stop stalling and just go.” Chenle narrowed his eyes at Renjun, a glint of mischief sparked for a second before it disappeared. He probably was only doing this to Renjun out of revenge. He couldn’t blame him, he laughed himself unconscious when Chenle was sniffing Jaemin’s sock. Chenle really held his grudges well. But he’s the one who suggested the game so. Renjun couldn’t be entirely at fault for any of this.

Renjun groaned, defeated. “Fine. If I die, I’m going to haunt all of you until the bags under your eyes reach your wrinkly ball sacks.”

Lucas frowned and scrunched his nose thoughtfully and in half disgust, “Dude, that’s not even scientifically possible. You’re just stalling.”

“Fuck if I care.”

“Time’s runnin’!” Chenle hollered from his side of the bonfire, clearly tipsy. 

Renjun pointed a finger at Chenle who just smirked back at him. “I hate you the most, Chenle. I’m going to haunt you first. Fuck you and your stupid game.” He stood up abruptly and brushed the dirt off his jeans, grumbling the last part of his sentence.

He blew a raspberry once he turned to face the dark woods behind him. Renjun heard his friends cheer behind him as he psyched himself up for the task. For a second, the sounds all seemed to get muted in the background as he stared beyond the first row of trees. It was dark and looming. Everywhere Renjun looked beyond the perimeter of their bonfire illumination was just more trees and bushes. He shivered. This was clearly a very bad idea.

Sighing, Renjun looked back pleadingly at his friends, hoping they would take pity on him and just give him another dare that would contain maybe not being potentially murdered or mauled.

“Last chance, guys.” Renjun said.

“No.” They all collectively answered.

Renjun truly hated everyone.

“You’re near enough for us to hear you scream, Renjun. We’ll be right there if something happens.” Xiaojun added placatingly.

Well, okay, maybe he hated Xiaojun less.

With a deep breath, Renjun turned his back to his loud friends and started the short walk into the denser part of the Preserve.

This was where the surprise he was unprepared for would come in.

If someone would ever ask him when he thought was the start of where everything went wrong, Renjun would point it at the moment where he agreed to be coerced into going into the woods alone in the middle of the fucking night. But he pushed through even though he was scared shitless and trudged deeper into the forest.

When Renjun thought back on it, it was a glaring red light of disaster, the idea and the act. He was so stupid he wanted to clunk himself in the head or knock himself out.

Unbelievingly, his life had turned into a slasher film clichè. And to make it worse, he could confirm, like 90%, that he was the dude who dies in the film’s prologue to jump start the film.

Goddammit, there weren’t even boobs in sight. Renjun didn't even get to have a sex scene, he just got a shitty scene with his supposed friends then straight to his murder.

_ What the fuck. I’ll die a virgin, _ Renjun cursed with a bitter after taste.

He breathed in the chilly air as he continued to thread through the low branches on his way to go to where the Big Tree was located at with only the help of his phone’s torch light. Luckily enough, he was born and raised in Wilhemville so he knew these woods like the back of his hand. They used to play hide and seek in these trees, used to play tag with his friends when he was younger.

But that was during the day. Never at night.

As much as Renjun bragged about knowing the woods very well, in retrospect, the blinding mask of the night really wasn’t helping him utilize that skill.

The only good thing was, the woods seemed calm tonight. He could hear the crickets humming their song and owls whoo-ing, the soft wind touching the leaves and making them dance. It was actually a pretty nice night, torn between spring and summer. Just enough not to make him sweat pelts but also enough not to make him shiver in cold.

Renjun reached the tree relatively fast and got to work, quickly snapping some photos in different angles and checking the products after to make sure that he got them right.

Thank God for the flash.

Actually, no.

Not thanking the flash now as his eyes had to take more time to diminish the black spots that hindered his vision. Renjun just blinked and stood still for a moment, his phone’s torch light directed mindlessly in front of him as he tried to get his sight back desperately. Being unable to see was the last thing Renjun wanted to happen in this circumstance.

_ This was how he was going to die,  _ a fleeting voice in his mind said. He groaned.  _ Not now, brain. _

There was a brief moment of Renjun just silently blinking before there was a sudden flash of movement that got caught in his torch light, a black blur whizzing past before him. Renjun stilled, frozen in uncertainty on his tracks.

What.

_ What? _

When he heard a twig snapped, he turned quickly to flash the light in the direction of where he thought the noise came from, feeling a lump in his throat. Nothing. Just shrubs and more creepy trees looming over there.

Gulping, Renjun focused on the sounds around him, realizing with a dread after a few seconds that he could hear nothing but stilted wind. His friends’ obnoxious laughter and loud chatter that seemed to interlace with the cricket's’ singing a while ago were replaced with complete and utter silence.

It was like there was no one in the woods except for Renjun, his increasingly racing heartbeat that was going to cause him a panic attack if not a heart attack, and the dark woods that shrouded over him.

_ And the thing in the dark, _ his mind supplied. Which, okay, very helpful, mind, thank you for your brilliant input. It clearly did not help his cause right now.

What scared him the most was the fact that he knew he was not alone, but he couldn’t sense any proof of life anywhere near him. There was just this nagging feeling that someone, or something, was there with him, watching from the dark.

Renjun should be working himself to calm down, not work himself into an impending panic attack. Unfortunately, fear had already gripped his insides in a vice and worked his heart twice faster, making him pant for air in rush breaths. This was not good. Not good at all.

“Not funny, guys.” Renjun’s voice was met with silence and he refused to acknowledge the slight shake he heard in it. He cleared the lump in his throat, forcing it down. “This one is good. You got me! I’m really scared now. Just... come out already so you could laugh about it in my face, you dickheads.”

Still, nothing. His false bravado was answered with more eerie silence, waning rapidly as the seconds passed by.

Renjun frowned and flashed his light around him, confused. If this was some elaborate prank that his friends were pulling, they should’ve shown themselves at any moment now. He knew his friends didn’t have the patience or will to prevent themselves from letting out their giggles and laughter, elaborate prank or not.

“Hey, it’s not funny anymore.”

Renjun took a step forward, intending to leave, but he heard another movement on his right. Startled, he flashed his torch light to where it came from and let out a stunted scream.

He was met with a deer who looked as shocked as he was before the animal ran away from the clearing and from him. Renjun lifted a hand to massage his chest, heart beating its way out of its cage.

“Jesus.” He said breathlessly.

Slowly, he stumbled back until the back of his knees touched the tree stump, heart still threatening to explode inside his chest cavity, before sitting on it. He took a few deep breaths, determined that he was  _ not  _ going to have a panic attack right now.

“You’re good, Renjun. It’s just fucking Bambi.” He mumbled to himself.

Staying here was not good for his health at all, he knew that. But he was just startled out of his wits and his knees actually felt like they were going to give out under him any moment if he stood up.

In the end, he opted to get his bearings first before running the fuck out of this place. Renjun didn’t care if this was a prank anymore. He wanted out-

_ “Fuck!” _

The air was suddenly knocked out of him. Puzzled, Renjun found himself lying flat on the tree stump. The back of his head hurt at the sudden collision and his eyes shut as he groaned out in pain.

“Wha-?” Renjun choked on his own words when he opened his eyes and they settled on the woman above him whose hands were wrapped around his throat like determined vines, fingers digging into his skin. Her thumbs were pressed expertly on his trachea, conveniently limiting his oxygen intake. Hair as dark as a charcoal, frizzy and sticking out everywhere, it looked like it hadn’t met with a comb for years. Her lips were pulled back in a silent snarl, teeth yellow and disgustingly stained. And her eyes.

Renjun couldn’t help the whimper that escaped through his lips.

Her eyes were glowing green with so much malintent directed towards Renjun. She looked downright manic about the fact that Renjun was literally struggling for air.

“S-save me. H-help.” He struggled to say with his throat restrained in a shackle like hold.

Renjun choked again as he gasped for more air when the woman’s grip on his neck tightened impossibly. If he didn’t die of asphyxiation then he thought he probably would die because his neck would snap in two soon.

Bringing his hands up on the woman’s arms, he clawed at them and gasped desperately for oxygen like a man drowning, the edges of his vision darkening with the lack of air in his lungs.

Renjun bucked up and tried to twist his hips; his body thrashing and struggling under her but she remained seated firmly on his stomach no matter what he did.

The woman’s lips move to form around whispered words, dark smoke falling out of them and dissipating into the night but Renjun couldn’t understand them properly. Kicking his feet and just grabbing everything he could reach of her- Renjun pulled, clawed and hit.

Renjun wondered fleetingly if he deserved this. If he did anything before that warranted this kind of slow and painful death.

Salty tears started to prickle at the corner of Renjun’s eyes when his mind supplied that  _ no, he didn’t deserve this, no one does. _

“P-please-”

But he couldn’t do anything about it anymore. This was going to be it for him. A pang of sadness hit his insides when he thought about how his mom would be alone once he’s gone. His father’s death already took a toll on both of them, he couldn’t imagine how his mom would feel about his passing.

Renjun felt his consciousness drift away from him, his eyelids becoming heavy, his movements turning languid.

_ I’m sorry, mom. Guess you’ll have to do without me. _

It’s when his eyes had closed and his hands lost its fight, falling limp with a thud beside his head when there was a loud rustle of leaves.

Suddenly, the weight on top of him together with the vice like grip on his throat were gone and Renjun gasped loudly and breathed greedily for air.

Renjun coughed and coughed until tears spilled from his eyes and ran down on his cheeks.

Sluggishly, he brought his hands up to his throat, skin burning in sensitivity and soreness. He couldn’t believe he almost just died.  _ Was  _ ready to die.

Renjun felt weak, his body being rocked through a wave of unstoppable tremors but he gathered his remaining strength to sit up. To get up and run away. Run far away to the safety of his home. To his mom.

He heard growls and snarls before his eyes adjusted enough and focused to see the fight that was happening before him. Renjun froze, his initial thought about running away halted too.

Lips parted and eyes widened in shock and awe, Renjun watched as the evil woman (She’s definitely evil, that Renjun could testify.) was slammed down to the ground by a wolf.

Big, black, ferocious and… really big? Were wolves supposed to be  _ that  _ big? Unless... 

The wolf bared its big set of canines when it pinned the woman to the Preserve floor, ready to rip the woman’s throat out. Its eyes flashed an unnatural color of electric shade of blue- Renjun must be hallucinating after being almost choked to death- at the woman but before it could lunge in, the evil woman flicked her wrist and a branch levitated in the air, zipped through it and struck the wolf on its side with the horrible audible sound of flesh being stabbed.

Renjun gasped as the wolf howled in pain that turned into a roar of anger and its initial goal to kill the woman was achieved with a sharp single move.

The wolf bit a chunk of her throat and spat it out mercilessly beside her body.

Blood squirted everywhere. Blood. Blood.  _ Blood. _

So much blood, Renjun felt like vomiting. But he couldn’t, he was gripped with fear and petrified in his spot. The huge paw that was pinning the woman on the ground lifted when the woman did her last twitch, her wide eyes turning dull as they stare emptily towards the dark sky.

The wolf staggered to the side, away from the woman’s lifeless body. Renjun watched in confusion for a moment, nailed to his seat, as the black ball of hair heaved weakly, making little aborted and pitiful noises as it lost its balance and just dropped heavily to its side. Then, it clicked to him.

The branch stood tall now that the wolf was lying on the ground, sticking out from the wolf’s shoulder, oiled up in crimson liquid. Renjun swore he had seen enough blood  _ (real blood) _ tonight to last him a lifetime.

The wound looked horrible under the light of the moon and he knew that it was killing the animal. The smartest choice for him at that very moment was to just let nature take its course but then, he caught the wolf’s eyes and a feeling shot through him like a tidal wave.

Its eyes were a darker shade of brown in contrast to the abnormal electric blue and so very, eerily  _ human. _ Not its shape or look but the way it expressed emotion and intelligence.

And it’s in pain. A lot of pain. They’re looking at Renjun helplessly like a kicked puppy (Ha! There was no semblance of puppy like whatsoever with a huge wolf like this) but so much worse and miserable.

A few seconds passed that Renjun did nothing but watch the wolf on the floor. It just looked tired and resigned. Resigned to die. Like it had done its part in the world already, so it just lied there, breathing weakly with a branch on its shoulder. Accepting its slow death. Like Renjun did before.

Renjun shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t. He either had a death wish or he was going insane. But he found himself standing on wobbly legs and slowly walking towards the injured wolf.

The wolf weakly snarled in silence at him and flashed its fangs but it lacked bite. Renjun thought the beast was weak enough for him to help it. After all, it saved his life a while ago, the tingling skin of his throat was a reminder of that.

The fact that he wouldn’t even  _ feel  _ the soreness in his skin if he had died was one of the reasons why he was doing this insane thing instead of running back to safety.

_ That’s going to bruise tomorrow and damn it his mom is going to be worried when she sees that  _ , Renjun thought. But bruises were better than a dead body, he supposed.

“I-it’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” He said in a hushed voice and the wolf’s body visibly eased a little of tension from it. “Let me help you. I-” Renjun removed his sweater and held his hands up in an unthreatening manner as the wolf just kept growling weakly at him, more habitual than actually intentional, he surmised. It gave him a funny look when he slowly lowered himself down on his knees beside it, doing his best to look unthreatening so that the wolf would feel safe and let him help it.

Renjun gulped, “I’m going to have to remove the branch and I’m going to put my sweater on your wound to prevent the bleeding, okay? Then- then, we’ll get you to the vet.” Renjun didn’t know how he’s going to do the last part of what he just said or if there was a veterinary clinic open at this time of the night. Wilhemville wasn’t really a place where no one sleeps at night. It’s a dull little town with a small population to the point where his barber and the librarian were his neighbors. So. Go figure.

He thought he saw the wolf deliriously nodded its assent at his statement but that’s just weird because wolves couldn’t possibly understand human language- well, they probably could to some degree but that’s just them associating sounds and gestures to certain actions. And only if they were trained.

No offense to this big black wolf but it looked like it’s not trained or couldn’t be trained with how beastly its size was. Anyway, it shouldn't be able to comprehend what he said. He truly must have gone off his rockers if he thought it did.

He set to work and gripped the end of the branch when he deemed it safe enough.

“Ready? On three, okay? One, two-”

He pulled the branch swiftly and easy. The wolf had a brief moment to look surprised and betrayed (huh?) before it howled.

Renjun quickly bunched up his sweater and gingerly used it to cover the open and bleeding wound, putting pressure on it. “I’m sorry. Sorry. So sorry. Please, don’t rip me to shreds.” He pleaded in frantic whispers, panic rising in his chest again as the wolf writhed in its place, fighting Renjun who’s trying to hold him still.

Fortunately, it did calm down after a while, breathing heavily and huffing every now and then as it got its bearings.

He spared a glance over the dead woman not far behind the wolf and had a horrible thought that maybe he will join her soon for stupidly helping the beastly canine.

Fuck his life, really.

The branch wasn’t all that long and it didn’t pierce the wolf deeply. Maybe an inch at most. He had a short period of time thinking about  _ how  _ that small and thin of a branch could possibly weaken a wolf this big,  _ how  _ it stabbed the wolf,  _ how  _ the branch levitated in the air and zipped through it before plunging itself on the wolf’s shoulder when he felt that the wolf had started to move again under his hands.

Well, not really moving but like- it’s muscles were rippling beneath his fingers. 

Fuck- it was  _ transforming  _ beneath his fingers.

The wolf wasn’t a  _ wolf  _ but one of the Supes! A shapeshifter probably. But Renjun had never seen or heard about a shapeshifter who could actually turn into a full body shift of a wolf. The werewolves he had seen on the internet usually had human bodies complete with claws, chops, protruded forehead and fangs.

Never something like  _ this  _ .

Renjun was frozen in his spot, again, and before he knew it, there was a very naked man kneeling on all fours and clutching his sweater to the wound, panting heavily and sweating. And his hands were still on him. On the naked young man’s skin. He blinked, mouth agape, not sure how to react.

A scream was forming in his throat when the man sent a pained glare at him, eyes blazing in inhumanely electric blue, his lips curled to give way to his fangs. 

“Stay put. Don’t make a sound or you’ll follow the same fate as that witch over there.” The young man said in a hoarse voice.

Renjun could only answer with a stiff nod, teeth clicking loudly as he closed his mouth shut.

_ Of course  _ .

Of course, werewolves lived in Wilhemville, too. And so were evil women with green eyes, apparently. He knew that they exist already. But still, he hadn’t met one considering it had only been five years since the fateful revelation. It wasn’t like Wilhemville was bustling with Supernatural creatures.

And of course Renjun would get himself shoved into the life of someone who wasn’t only aware of the Supernatural, but actually had physical contact with them. That was just his life. Dandy and full of unexpected surprises. Of fucking course.

Renjun shouldn’t be surprised, his mother had known a few Supes because of her job as a cop. But Supes were rare in their town. Even with the revelation and the newly approved laws that protected them, Supes didn’t excessively broadcast themselves to the public. If they wanted to disclose that part of themselves to people, it would be of their own will.

That was how it worked for the past few years. Not hiding it, but also not shouting it from the rooftops. They liked their privacy and it wasn’t like prejudice immediately died just because they suddenly made themselves known. There was a lot of discrimination towards the Supes up to this day. It was inevitable.

Unmoving, he just stared at the young man in front of him whose clawed hand was gripping Renjun’s sweater above his wound. A living, solid and hot piece of proof of the supernatural, Renjun thought passingly.

The man panted and made these little pained groans as he held himself up with a shaky hand, almost kowtowing on the ground, pale and sweating buckets under the moonlight. He looked like he’s having a hard time breathing and oh shit, the man just coughed out blood.

“Hey, I know you blatantly told me to shut up and like don't move but you definitely need medical attention.  _ Professional  _ medical attention. Really gravely. And I can help you get there.” Renjun blurted out, fully running on instinct and unfiltered mouth. “You’re… oozing blood all over. Like a lot. A fuckton of.. blood- oh God, what is that black liquid seeping out of your shoulder?!”

Renjun would never be caught verbally admitting that his voice could ever go that high but his panic was coming to him on full blast now. The man just coughed out blood  _ and  _ there was also the aforementioned black liquid that was dripping on his arm. Last time he checked, that was not normal. Renjun’s trembling hands were hovering over the man, not knowing what to do with them.

“Wolf-  _ wolfsbane  _ ,” The man breathed.

Like  _ that  _ actually explained everything. Like it should make sense to Renjun as it did to him. Tough luck, it didn’t. It wasn’t like he spent his time reading up on what does and doesn’t hurt supernatural creatures.

“Wolf- what? What are you talking about?! We need to get you to the hospital now! You’re going to die here and I’m not- I won’t- I- I don’t want to be a witness to that!”

The man winced as he carefully removed Renjun’s sweater and let the pressure off to look at the  _ hole  _ on his shoulder.

The hole was still oozing blood, more blood than any human could ever survive without, but what made Renjun reel back in horror was the blackened veins around it, reaching everywhere, starkly visible on the pale skin. He could feel his heart kickstart another marathon in its ribcage to chase the panic attack he had been avoiding at the horrible sight before him.

The man slightly tilted its-  _ his  _ head to him. The slip up was funny for a moment because the action reminded him of a dog hearing something humans couldn’t.

“Calm down. I’m not dying here.” The wolf-turned-man caught his eyes before wincing. “Not- not unless- I just need fire to- to burn the poison out of my system.”

Without really understanding what the guy was on, Renjun dazedly nodded, “Okay. Yeah. I can do that. I can definitely do that for you. I-” Renjun blinked at the bloodied branch that he dropped in haste besides his knee. “One more thing, though, I don’t smoke. Therefore, I don’t have any lighter or a matchbox with me.” He realized, words trailing in disbelief.

The man furrowed his eyebrows in pain as he fell and his body sagged on Renjun’s who squeaked in surprise, catching him before the man planted his head on the ground.

“Okay, I’ll just run real quick to my friends-”

“No.” The very supernatural and  _ naked  _ stranger said firmly. “Just. Help me get up and we can walk back to my car. My clothes are there and I have a lighter in the compartment.”

Renjun opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it and closed it. He shouldn’t go trusting and following strangers to their cars, that was the first thing his mom taught him. There wasn’t even ice cream to lure him in!

Let it go on record that  _ this-  _ everything that led up to this exact moment- was a convolution of bad ideas and decisions that made up the Worst Idea Of The Century and at any circumstances, Renjun would definitely sucker punch the man and run for his dear life. But - and Renjun hated this part- his mind was currently still in the gutter, there was a bleeding man (creature? wolf? shapeshifter? lycan?) in front of him who needed his help and he just got choked by a fucking witch.

He’d choose this stranger over the witch, thank you very much.

However, though the young man may or may not be a goddamn serial killer considering he just killed someone in front of Renjun. Brutally at that. But he still saved him. And the enemy of my enemy is a friend, as the saying went.

Also, Renjun was raised to be a good Samaritan. His grandmother had read the Bible on him, hell, even made sure he went to church every Sunday for mass before she passed away. Renjun didn’t believe in that shit anymore, anyway. He only complied to her requests just to appease her. Rest in peace, Grandma. 

Renjun believed that a good deed done to others will return to him ten fold in the near future. Or far. Anyway, it was bound to return to him  _ someday. _

What he really wanted to say was that, following a stranger you just met was a big no and a bad idea. Following a stranger who was naked and bleeding and had even threatened his life? It would definitely make his grandmother rise from her grave only to smack the back of his head and drag him away by the ears. 

So when Renjun asked, “Can you walk?”

And the stranger replied, “Yeah.”

Well. Grandma was on her way to the land of the living from the dead to haunt Renjun for being an idiot.

Without much further ado, Renjun helped the man up. But the young man refused and he took a step forward, almost falling to his face again if it weren’t for Renjun coming to his aid. Reluctantly, the stranger accepted his offered hand and leaned his weight on him. He dutifully guided the other without another word.

He was taller than Renjun, that much was obvious. Probably a good inch or two considering his eyes were at the level of the other’s cheek and he wasn’t even properly stood yet. He refused to look blatantly but he let his gaze check the man out in his peripheral vision.

The man was built like a fucking God. Well, not a Greek God whose muscles were rippling like a ripe fruit. No. But he was lean and had toned muscles that were a perfect fit for his height and bone structure. Still just as beautiful as a God. More so under the moonlight.

Perks of being a supernatural, he guessed. It was unfair but Renjun had long learned how to live with the fact that there were just truly blessed people in this world and he wasn’t  _ any  _ of them.

Renjun was carrying half of the man’s weight as they walked side by side for a while in the dark. Under any normal circumstances, he would have complained already. Physical activities were not really Renjun’s forte.

But this situation wasn’t one of those. The man was injured and hot. What. Sue him. He’s also some kind of powerful shapeshifter if he could turn into a full blown wolf. And when Renjun weighed his options if he could fight for his escape. The flight choice was not looking good for him and after much thought, so was the fight option.

With a huge block in his escape, Renjun just resigned himself to helping the other.

He let the stranger maneuver them into the direction of his car (and hopefully not his dead body’s future crime scene). He seemed to be seeing better than Renjun despite of his injuries and the darkness.

They reached the road not long after, the lamp posts giving it away. They’re still conveniently hidden to be seen by eyes who weren’t really looking but near enough to hear several cars passing by. 

“There.” The man said, voice strained as he nodded to their right side.

Renjun turned to the general direction of it and couldn’t help but let out a whistle. There, in all its glistening glory, was a beautiful Mercedes G6.

“Sweet ride.” He praised in awe and just gaped, thinks of all the things he’d do to the beautiful car.

The man huffed, “Are you going to help me get there or do you just wanna let me die here and oggle my car?”

Renjun startled, feeling the other’s breath fanned the side of his face. Right. Life saving situation. “Maybe, I’ll do that if you don’t stop bossing me around.” He snapped instead before he started their hobble of two to the direction of the car again.

“Jeno.” He heard the man muttered after a beat.

“What?”

“My name is Jeno.”

Renjun almost stopped in his tracks when he processed what the man-  _ Jeno  _ \- just offered him. Reluctantly. But. He had a name.  _ Of course, he has a name. Who doesn’t? _

“Okay.” Renjun said slowly, testing the name in his mind over and over again. It’s a nice name. “Nice to meet you, Jeno. The name is Renjun and I’d really appreciate an explanation about what happened before. But maybe later, when my mind is not confused and dissociating dream from reality and after we’ve treated your wound.”

He heard Jeno snort but when he checked, his face was blank save for the pained wince that appeared once.

When they reached the car, Renjun turned around and refused to look at Jeno’s ass when he crouched down to get his clothes from under the car (what was going on there, really). He didn’t question why the clothes were under the car instead of  _ inside  _ the car.

Instead, he looked around for something to focus on that was definitely not Jeno putting his boxers and jeans on nonchalantly. He decided that the dried leaves on the floor were interesting.

“Look away if you’ve got a weak stomach.” Jeno warned Renjun after a while, lighter ready on his uninjured hand.

Renjun only frowned at that, he figured he could face Jeno now so he did. He watched in amusement as the other struggled to flick a light, growling like an animal. Which, technically, he was. Kind of.

“So.” Renjun started. Jeno ignored him and cussed the lighter out like he wanted to hurl it across the woods. Rude. Narrowing his eyes, Renjun tried again, making his voice louder this time. “So, mind giving me that explanation now- _ What the hell are you doing?!  _ ”

To his horror, when the fire flickered alive, Jeno quickly pressed the hot end on his wound. Renjun couldn’t help the wince that automatically plastered itself on his face. That must’ve hurt a lot.

Jeno glared at him when Renjun tried to step closer, instincts kicking in. Renjun tried to reach the other’s hand away to stop him, but Jeno’s growl increased in volume before flashing his eyes an electric blue as a warning.

Renjun’s teeth clattered when he shut his mouth and halted his advance in haste, fight dying in his system that was immediately replaced with worry. He focused on tampering it down, deciding to trust Jeno The (he’s 70% sure) Werewolf. After all, the other should know what was good and bad for him.

“I’m smoking out the wolfsbane in my body.” Jeno explained before letting out a grunt. “I told you this, remember?”

“Saying it and seeing it happen are two different things! Give me a little warning next time, dude.”

Renjun squeaked when his eyes caught sight of a black liquid seeping out of the wound. Ugh. Gross. His stomach almost lurched at the sight of it. Jeno only looked at him with an unspoken,  _ I did warn you so  _ . Which, Renjun blatantly ignored because he hated being called out on his stubbornness.

He realized belatedly that Jeno was not really burning himself but actually just using the heat to melt the wolfsbane poison in the wound.

In his fascination, the blackened veins surrounding the wound started to fade slowly, like a reverse of a graceful drop of powder to water. The skin cleared and soon, Jeno’s breathing evened out. He was looking far better than he did before.

After a while of Jeno doing his thing and Renjun feeling like a voyeur, the wolf slumped on the side of the car, the act took all of his energy away, exhaustion finally weighing him down as he took laboured breaths. It was probably a taxing task, what with being poisoned and the transformation.

Which. Huh. Reminded Renjun of what he was going to say before. 

Shifting his own weight on his feet, he cleared his throat and waited for Jeno to open his eyes. He did so but Jeno made it also obvious that he did not appreciate the disturbance of his resting time. He glared at Renjun, disdainful. Like his presence was unwanted. Which it probably was.

But Renjun was stubborn. He also had a death wish. So, he stood his ground. He had the right to know what the hell happened just now. They had a little moment of camaraderie there.

However, Jeno was treating him like he was an unwanted fly. That was kind of rude. He helped him and this was what he got.

“I deserve an explanation,  _ Grumpypants.” _ Renjun snapped. To that, Jeno sighed which irritated Renjun more.

Hell, he wasn’t the only injured person here. He’s pretty sure his neck was starting to show fingers shaped bruises now. He didn’t even know what to tell his mom about it yet. Unless,  _ “Hey mom, yeah these bruises? A witch tried to break my neck! Amazing, isn’t it? Oh, also, last night, a werewolf saved me then I helped him get the poison out of his body because wolfsbane is a werewolf’s Kryptonite! Cool right?”  _ was a plausible explanation. Yeah, that totally would not make him sound like a person out of his mind.

Renjun crossed his arms on his chest, raised an eyebrow expectantly and tapped his foot on the ground for added effect. Intimidating a werewolf. It definitely was not Renjun’s brightest idea but it seemed to work considering Jeno straightened up and put on a shirt that he appeared to procure out of nowhere to face Renjun properly.

Well, that or he’s finally going to eat Renjun alive.

With all the grump and beauty in the world, Jeno jerked his head to the car, “Get in.”

Renjun spluttered, mind going a mile a minute. Oh God, he was going to get murdered!

“I’m sorry! Please, don’t kill me.” He said, his voice pitching higher than normal.

Jeno furrowed his eyebrows, looking even more impatient than he was before, “I’m not going to kill you. Just get in before I-”

“What are we going to do?” Renjun cut him off, subtly taking a step back for good measure.

Jeno gritted his teeth, “We’re going to my house. I’m going to take a nice shower. You’re going to sit on my couch and wait for me. Then… you’ll get your explanation.”

Renjun blinked. “Nuh-uh. I don’t think so, Mister.”

Frowning, Jeno’s hand halted on its way to the car’s door handle to look at him in surprise, then he schooled his expression into a calm look, “What?”

“No. I’m not going to your place.” Jeno blinked at him, taken aback. But Renjun only barreled on, “No offense. I know you accidentally saved me while you’re battling the evil woman.” He trailed and frowned, contemplating and getting distracted with his own thoughts. “Or witch. Whatever. But I think I’d be safer if you explain everything in the car. While you’re driving me to  _ drop me off to my house  _ .”

Jeno only let out a snort, “What makes you think being with me right now is not as dangerous as going back to my house?”

“Because I saved you. Intentionally, at that. If you wanted to kill me, you could have already did but you haven’t yet. And my house is just near the playground which is nearer. Also if I die, my Mom is a cop and they  _ will  _ find out that it was you who I was with recently before aforementioned death.”

Jeno seemed to ponder this information for a moment before he rolled his eyes and nodded.

Renjun counted that as a win.

*

“So, are you a werewolf?” Renjun turned to Jeno and fired as soon as the other stepped on the gas and they hit the road.

He eyed Renjun like he’s the biggest idiot he’s ever met and said, “Try Lycan.”

Blinking, Renjun failed to figure out the significance of the difference, “What’s the difference?” He voiced out his confusion.

“A werewolf is someone who couldn’t control the transformation.” Jeno grunted in reply. “They’re more savage because they’re rogue wolves who are driven by their primitive and animalistic instincts. The pull of the moon was stronger for them.”

“Rogue wolves?”

“Yes, Renjun.” Jeno said and to further make sure that his exasperation was properly established, he shot him an  _ I’m with an idiot  _ look. Renjun defiantly ignored it. “Wolves who do not or could not abide with the supernatural laws.” He shrugged.

“So, werewolves are criminal Lycans? The bad guys?” Renjun asked, eyes widened, awestruck. The movies and books had all been wrong about werewolves. “That is so weirdly fascinating. You have a whole system and we didn’t even know you exist until like a few years ago. I mean, we know of you for decades because of fictional books but we never really thought that you’re real. It’s still unbelievable that you’re all breathing, living, actual  _ beings  _ . It’s so cool.” 

Scoffing, Jeno continued, “They’re not exactly the bad guys. Most of them are newly bitten wolves who still can’t control the pull of the moon. So, they shift against their will and only on the full moon or when their emotions are intense. Let’s just say that the animal in them has the upper hand. Chances are, the wolves you encounter during the full moon will probably kill you. Intentional or not.”

Gulping, Renjun nodded, “Okay.” He said shakily. In reality, he’s already etched the warning in his brain. Decidedly, he’s never going out on a full moon ever again after hearing that. “So, what’s a Lycan?”

“Someone who can control the shift. We can transform anytime and anywhere. The moon does not really affect us as much as it would to a werewolf.”

Renjun contemplated about it for a while, gears turning inside his brain. He never really paid attention to when his friends would talk about the supernatural aspect of their world. However, now that he had experienced it first hand, he couldn’t just keep on ignoring it.

“So werewolves can turn into a lycan?” Renjun mused out loud after a few seconds.

Jeno nodded in assent. “Yes, they can. Werewolves can transcend into a lycan once they have full control over their shift. But a lycan can’t turn into a werewolf without being feral.”

“What? That is so confusing.” Renjun let out a frustrated huff. “Just when I thought I was finally getting it, you lost me again.”

“Lycans are purebloods. They are the wolves who are born through birth that is why they are more in tune with their nature. Werewolves are bitten humans.” Jeno said, tone serious as he made a turn to a road which led to the densely populated area of their town.

Renjun nodded in understanding. “So I take it that this is the part where you tell me I can’t tell anyone about this and you’re going to hunt me down and rip my throat out if I ever speak a word of wolves to anyone without the context of the actual wolf animal?” He said in one breath.

“Yes.”

“May I ask why? I mean, it’s not like we’re back in the dark ages where anything out of the norm will get hunted and burned at the stake.” When Renjun sneaked a look at Jeno, he saw that the other’s expression was murderous. It made Renjun want to smack himself in the face for having an unfiltered mouth. “I meant no offense. It’s okay if you don’t want to answer that one.” He backtracked quickly when he started to hear the sounds of an impending growl.

“Good.” Jeno just said, face clearing a little bit but his lips were still set on a thin line.

And again, because Renjun was curious and he wanted to clear this up before he totally get killed some time this night, he opened his mouth before he could stop himself and in a hushed voice, “And that woman that you… you killed? What is she? What’s her deal?”

Jeno’s expression turned sour. Okay. Sour was good. Sour, Renjun would rather take that on instead of the murderous grim a while ago.

“A witch.” Jeno said in disgust.

“Right. Of course. Witches are here in Wilhemville, too.” Renjun said breathlessly even though he had a hint of what Jeno’s answer would be.

“What, you believe werewolves and lycans but not witches?” Jeno shook his head.

“I do. It’s just- it’s really hard to process everything right now, okay? Don’t be a dick. Five years ago, you’re all just myths to us.” He muttered, slightly offended at being made fun of for something he couldn’t control. Fortunately, Jeno just kept his mouth shut for the next few minutes, giving Renjun the time he needed to digest the information that was just dropped on him. “What are you going to do to her body?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Renjun couldn’t explain what he was feeling at this moment. But somehow, having first hand experience of what the supernatural was like still felt surreal to him even though he already knew that they were real. He sounded like a broken record, but that was just because everything felt like a fever dream. Or nightmare.

A strong wave of nausea hit him when memories of hands on his neck plagued his mind. With all the information he’s processing right now, he leaned back on the leather seat, suddenly dizzy.

The pain in his neck and at the back of his head was back as the bruises started to throb again and reintroduced its presence to him with a vengeance. Flashes of green eyes and black smoke haunted the his mind. His heartbeat quickened.

“Did she deserved it? At least, tell me that.” Renjun managed to say in a small voice.

He didn’t know why he’s a little bit guilty about the woman’s death, heck, she tried to kill him with her bare hands but somehow, Renjun was still unsure if whether it was perfectly okay to just flee the scene and leave the body behind.

As a cop’s son, it was just naturally ingrained in him that witnessing a murder and fleeing the scene without a word to the police or calling the ambulance was just as bad as doing the killing itself.

“Yes. Very much.” Jeno said with so much distaste in his tone, a final statement to the conversation.

Renjun bit his lip, nodding. It was kind of reassuring to hear that Jeno vehemently thought that the witch deserved what happened to her.

If Jeno, a lycan, firmly thought that the witch deserved to die, then Renjun must be so very lucky that he survived the attack. He saw how Jeno viciously ripped the throat out of that woman. And as gruff as the lycan was, Renjun knew that he was safer with him. For all the obvious reasons, hell, Renjun trusted him a little bit more than the witch.

Renjun couldn’t believe his luck. He would’ve died if not for Jeno. Just imagining how his mom would find his cold body in the woods almost sent him into the verge of another panic attack. He couldn’t bear doing that to her.

“Hey.” Jeno said, throwing a curious glance at him with worry on his lips. “You okay?”

Renjun snapped back to reality. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. “Yeah. Just got a little lightheaded. Please, turn here.”

Jeno heeded his request without a word and they entered the street that Renjun’s lived in since he was a child. The neighborhood was silent in the dead of the night. It didn’t surprise him considering how late it already was and how he’s been with his friends-

“Shit!” Renjun gasped making Jeno jolt in surprise, throwing him a concerned look.

He scrambled to pull his phone out of his back pocket to dial Jaemin’s number without a word. How could he be so stupid? His friends must have been so worried about him now and oh God what if they saw the dead woman in the woods and called his mom because he was missing?

“Oh my God, I’m so dumb. I’m  _ so dead.” _ He mumbled as he listened to the third ring from the other line, phone gripped tightly in his hand, praying to all that’s Holy for Jaemin to answer his phone quickly. Jaemin picked up and yelled on the other line. Renjun heard a commotion from the other line.

_ “Dude! What the fuck? Where are-” _

“I’m fine! I’m okay. I was just-” And he stopped, his breath caught in his throat and words dead in his mouth.

What was he going to say to his bestfriend? He hadn’t come up with a plausible explanation yet. He glanced at Jeno and saw his eyes turn steely and his grip on the wheel tightened. Not the truth, then. Just when he heard Jaemin delivered what he said to their other friends, his mouth moved on its own.

“Mom called and asked me to go home. She left the windows open and you know how cops are.” The lies came out of him naturally and he winced.  _ Sorry, bro. I might get killed if I tell you the truth. _

There was a moment of brief silence from the other line as Jaemin processed what he said, then he heard him snort and said in his  _ as a matter of fact  _ tone, _ “Dude, everyone knows your mom’s going to be the sheriff in, like, a few days because she’s badass. No one would be brave enough to even think about robbing your home.” _

“Yeah,” Renjun grimaced, “But you know her. She’s paranoid about these things.”

_ “Fine. But don’t make us worry like that. Xiaojun was about to scourge the entire woods-” _

“Don’t!” Renjun snapped immediately in surprise, a woman’s dead body in the middle of the Preserve floor crossing in his mind. They couldn’t be involved in any of this. He quickly retraced his thoughts and came up with  _ another lie, _ “I mean, this is why I also called. You should all probably go home now. I think I heard a wolf’s howl while I was leaving.”

Jeno growled at that and Renjun shot him an annoyed look, raising his free hand. He was trying his best to make up a story on the spot to cover  _ his  _ furry ass, okay? Ungrateful, lycan. He did not have time to tolerate all his growling and glaring.

_ “Really? Yeah, we were just about to leave anyway. It’s a good thing you called, we were about to call Deputy Heran.” _

Renjun choked. “God, please don’t call my Mom anytime ever. Why do you even have her number?”

_ “I don’t know dude. One day, I just found her number already saved in my phone. With a heart on her name, Renjun.” _ Jaemin emphasized in a scandalized whisper as if the mere memory of it mortified him. Renjun could just about imagine the full body shiver that followed. His mom was embarrassing.

Groaning, he slumped in his seat, relieved that the conversation was directed to safe territory, “I hate you both. I’m actually going to disown my own mother and my bestfriend.”

He heard Jaemin chuckled,  _ “You love us.” _

“I know.” He sighed because he does.

Renjun’s mom may be a little bit overprotective and may embarrass him a lot but he knew she always meant well with all of it. Jaemin had been his bestfriend since they were little. He’s already like the brother he never had.

_ “I gotta go, though. See you tomorrow? Are you sure you’re okay?” _

“Yes,  _ dad. _ See you. Take care-”

_ “Wait. How are you getting home? Xiaojun was our ride.” _

“I…” Renjun panicked a little, not knowing what to say. He chanced a quick look to Jeno’s direction, hoping he’d help out but the other only lifted one shoulder leaving him to his own misery.  _ Useless wolf.  _ Renjun huffed. “I got that covered. Don’t worry. Tell Xiaojun to drive safely. Okay, bye.”

The line was immediately cut off when he clicked the red end call button with no remorse. Renjun breathed deeply, relief washing over him as he recognized the neighborhood before them.

“Wolf’s howl? Really?” Jeno deadpanned, eyes narrowing and lips formed in a scowl.

Rolling his eyes and completely ignoring the other, “Stop there.” Renjun pointed to a bungalow three houses away from his. Well. It didn’t hurt to still be cautious for what it’s worth, hence the fake house. He hoped to God Jeno wouldn’t sneak in later to kill him otherwise Mr. Heinfield and his cats would be on the local news for murder the next morning. “And yes,  _ wolf’s howl  _ . I’m sorry I panicked. It’s better than letting my friends see a fresh corpse, okay? God knows I’ve seen enough tonight for everyone.”

He knew he made a point when Jeno didn’t say anything in return.

It didn’t stop the scowl from forming on Jeno’s face though. Renjun wondered if the lycan ever smiles or were his expressions just limited to scowling, scoffing and narrowing his eyes to judge everyone in his general vicinity.

He had a passing thought that the other would be a lot more pleasing to the eyes if he smiles.  _ Wait. Fall back five steps, Renjun, that was such a random thought. _ He dismissed it immediately with a slight shake of his head.

The car stopped in front of Mr. Heinfeild ft. his cats’ house. Jeno raised his eyebrows at him, spared a glance on the dark bungalow then back at him, “You live here?”

“Yeah.” Renjun lied.

Jeno’s eyebrows met in the middle as he looked at him like he knew exactly that Renjun was lying through his teeth. But he didn’t say anything, instead he unlocked the doors from his side and just threw a, “Sure.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.” Jeno spat out, exasperated already, getting tired of Renjun’s presence. Then, he bit his lips and turned to him before Renjun could even touch the door handle, “You can’t tell anyone about this, okay? I’m serious. If you don’t keep silent about it, I’ll make you.” 

The threat and the dark, murderous eyes were enough to make Renjun nod. He didn’t even know if anyone was going to believe him if he even speaks a word about it. Also, he left a crime scene without saying a word to the authorities. That would conveniently make him an accessory to the crime because he intentionally neglected to come out as a witness. It should be enough reason why he should keep silent.

“Good. Now, get out of my car.”

As soon as Renjun shut the door behind him, Jeno’s car peeled off into the asphalt. He didn’t leave his spot on the side of the road until he couldn’t see the glaring red tail lights of the Mercedes anymore, trudging with a newfound vigilance to his own home. 

*

Contrary to popular belief, Renjun was not nosy. Oh no, sir. He preferred to call it the greed for knowledge. That everyone normally had. Okay, maybe his was a little more… excessive.

So, when the sun rose, Heran Huang went home from the police department after her morning shift. She checked up on her son, going to his room only to find him hunched down in front of his computer, reading articles of whatever it is his current obsession was with a mug of half full coffee on the side, the  _ illegally  _ hacked police scanner playing live loud in his bedroom, it’s…  _ unfortunately, _ what she had been expecting now that the kid was on summer vacation.

She sighed loudly and knocked on the door to make her presence known, “Renjun, what did we talk about not listening to the police scanner, son?”

Renjun visibly jumped in his seat and whipped his head to her direction, looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Oops?” He smiled meekly.

Mom looked exasperatedly at the mess on his desk, eyed his unchanged clothes from last night, then squinted at the obvious bags under Renjun’s eyes. She ended up sighing loudly, again. Such was a normal reaction when it comes to Renjun and he was used to it. Especially if it was from his mother.

“Have you even slept a wink? Jesus, you look pale and your clothes are so dirty! Were you out in the woods again?” His mother sneered at him.

Renjun winced and scratched the back of his head sheepishly, he really couldn’t hide anything from his mother. In his defence, he got distracted from doing research and she’s going to be the Sheriff in a few days after all. Mom was exemplary in her job. And he probably looked like a walker from  _ The Walking Dead. _

“You’re not going to believe me if I say I went for an early morning jog, right?” Renjun grinned.

“Do you take me for a fool?”

“No…”

Mom crossed the distance between them and the stern cop-look on her face vanished, replaced by worry. The Heran in front of him was just Mom now. She raised her hand to Renjun’s forehead, checking his temperature, “You’re not feverish, that’s a good thi-” She froze, her eyes locked on something on Renjun’s abdomen.  _ “Is that blood on your shirt?” _

Renjun’s eyes widened and Mom’s hands quickly flew to check his body for wounds.

“Mom! I’m okay. They’re just… just Jaemin’s. He got a nosebleed last night and I just happened to be in the way. Nothing major. Don’t worry.” He said quickly and tried for a smile, a bit too wide than his usual one. Heran definitely didn’t buy the lie but she let it go. Mom looked a little appeased after confirming that he wasn’t injured and guilt ate Renjun’s smile a little more.

“Well, is Jaemin alright, then?” Mom said, a shadow of doubt looming behind her eyes.

“Yeah! Yeah, he’s good.” He nodded. Jesus, what was he doing? He’s lying to his mom and it just did not feel right to him.

But he figured it's better than telling her the truth and endangering her life. Well, at least he wouldn’t tell her for  _ now. _ Maybe, someday. When Renjun was certain that a certain lycan wouldn’t magically appear in his doorstep to maul them both.

“Okay.” Heran said and looked at him disapprovingly, nose wrinkling. “Go take a shower. You reek of blood. And for the love of God,  _ sleep, _ please. Just because school’s out for the summer doesn’t mean you can go around looking and smelling like someone who went in for a dive in the sewer.” Mom said with a final tone in her voice before she turned to leave the room but not without leaving him a kiss on the top of his head.

Renjun agreed and proceeded to turn off his laptop to shower. Knowing that his Mom was here with him and he wasn’t alone anymore calmed the overworking neurons in his brain. He felt the nervous buzz under his skin dwindle down to a low hum as he entered the bath across his bedroom. 

In retrospect, if he scrubbed his skin and scratched his scalp a little harder than necessary to remove the blood, dirt, and sweat, no one would know.

After getting dropped off by Jeno three houses away from his, Renjun’s mind was restless, adrenaline still buzzing like a bee so loudly in his ears, rushing through his vein like running water.

Last night, Renjun figured that he wouldn’t be able to sleep because of the excess energy he had so he set his mind to work and fired up his laptop, downloading PDF files and opening tabs about the supernatural world that he could get his hands on to. He centered his research and focused on articles and books about Lycanthropy and Wicca. When he deemed it enough, he started to read. He read until the wee hours of the night and straight into when the sun was peeking through the Preserve woods. That was when his mother found him.

As far as facts go, werewolves and lycans both had heightened senses and super strength. There were a lot of documented information and permitted tests results about werewolves that was helpful in satiating his hungry mind. Not so much on lycans to Renjun’s dismay, remembering Jeno’s explanation about how they were different even though both were significantly similar to one another.

He came across a short interview about a famous lycan family from Europe and found out that some lycan families have certain unique abilities that those bloodlines were only privy of. Bitten wolves couldn’t exercise them for obvious reasons. However, the interview didn’t mention anything about the family’s ability, again, for obvious reasons.

When the water was bordering into cold temperature, Renjun finished quickly in the bathroom and went to bed after brushing his teeth, feeling significantly sluggish now that his mind felt safe enough to think about other things besides  _ wolves  _ and  _ witches. _ He was extremely exhausted having been up for longer than usual, his bones feeling like dead weights.

He remembered mindlessly plugging his phone on his charger before closing his eyes and was met with electric blue eyes staring right back at him in slumberland.

*

Renjun woke up with a jerk when the door of his room banged open, Jaemin barging in unceremoniously like he owned the place. He groaned and hiked up the blanket over his head, already thinking of the ways he could do to murder his bestfriend and get away with it. His mother would probably not approve of it but whatever. His sleep was rudely interrupted, that should warrant at least one death.

“Wakey, wakey, princess! Aunt Heran let me in and told me to wake you up before she left for her night shift.” Jaemin nonchalantly plopped down on the other side of his bed and vehemently snatched the blanket off of him.

“Noooo. Let me sleep. You know nothing!” Renjun whined on his pillow as he blindly smacked whatever his hands could reach.

“Exactly. You have some explaining to do, Mister.” Jaemin made a victorious sound when he peeled the blanket off of him and threw it on the floor next to his bed. Renjun, stubborn as he was, didn’t want to let that satisfaction last long. He grabbed a pillow and pulled it over his head. Jaemin made an indignant squawk and Renjun grinned on the shadow of the fluffy object. “Whatever.” Jaemin grumbled. The bed dipped and Renjun could tell that Jaemin was settling into a more comfortable position on his bed. “Anyway, you have some explaining to do. Nosebleed? Really, Renjun? It’s a good thing that I know how you lie. Otherwise, you’d be caught by now. You owe me for this by the way.”

“Thanks.” He grumbled, sluggishly turning to hug Jaemin’s middle and bury his face on the side of the other’s thigh.

“So, what is it, really?”

Jaemin’s voice turned soft all of a sudden when he spoke after a few stunned seconds, catching on Renjun’s dampened mood, stroking his hair in a calming manner.

Renjun was silent for a moment, partially due to being half-awake but mostly because he was actually contemplating his next words. He wanted to tell Jaemin. But he didn’t want the other to be in danger in case the wolf was lurking in the shadows, watching him or something.

Ever since last night, it felt as if Renjun was in constant surveillance and it was what also prompted him to stay awake all night. Halfway through his reading, he got tired and turned to his bed, but something was bugging him. The feeling that there was  _ something  _ he should be aware of.

Like… he was being observed. Like he wasn’t alone.

The feeling lessened when Mom arrived, maybe because he knew he was safer with Mom around that was why his mind was able to succumb to slumber.

But it was still there, just behind the forefront of his mind like gray clouds, a warning of an impending rain.

It didn’t feel anything bad or good. Renjun just felt like something was  _ there  _ when he knew there wasn’t before.

“Renjun.” Jaemin snapped him back to reality. “You okay, man?”

“Yeah.” Renjun said with a rasp and nodded for added effect. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just a really tired.”

“Do you want to talk about last night?” Jaemin asked in a tentative voice, obviously getting a hint that  _ something happened  _ last night but knew that Renjun would mention it if he felt like sharing.

“No.” He replied before getting up to sit. He stretched his arms out to chase the remains of sleep away. “Maybe, some other time.”

Then, Jaemin made a noise of screaming with his lips shut. “Holy shit, what  _ happened  _ to your neck?” Reflexively, Renjun’s hand went up to touch the purplish bruises on his neck as his bestriend forcibly turned his body to him to see clearer. Jaemin was looking at the strangle marks with horror in his eyes, wide and disbelieving. “What the fuck, Renjun? It looked like someone strangled you for the kill. Wait, did someone do that? Are you hurt anywhere? Did Aunt Heran know about this?”

Renjun felt stupid for being careless about his bruises. This morning with Mom was a lucky strike because he was wearing a shirt that came with a turtleneck collar last night and she didn’t see the hidden marks. But after showering and changing to a more comfortable set of clothes, Renjun was left with nothing to cover the result of last night’s attack.

He needed to think quick. Because Jaemin was now frantically fussing over him, ready to call his Mom.

“Jaemin.” He called the other’s attention and halted his movements, trying his hardest to seem calm. “It’s nothing.”

“What do you mean it’s nothing? Those do not look okay, Renjun. Jesus, what are you thinking not going to the hospital and getting that checked?” Jaemin was about to dial his Mom’s number before Renjun scrambled to steal the other’s phone away.

“Stop! Okay? I said, I’m fine. It doesn’t even hurt. It’s-” Renjun really couldn’t believe that he was about to say this but if it was for everyone’s safety then screw it. “I was trying something last night. Uhm.  _ Kinky  _ stuff, Jaemin. Mom doesn’t need to hear about it.”

He put emphasis on the word ‘kinky’ and lifted his eyebrows so his friend would know exactly what he wanted to say without really having to explain further.

Jaemin’s movements were suspended for a moment and Renjun felt anxiety build up inside of him. Chanting  _ please believe it, please believe it, please believe it  _ over and over again in his mind like a mantra.

The other’s eyes were focused on him, seizing him up and down before Jaemin burst out laughing seconds later, doubling over and almost falling off the bed. Renjun released a breath of relief.

“I didn’t think you had it in you, Renjun. Way to go, buddy.” Understanding him, Jaemin only nodded then stood up and smiled brightly at him, conveniently making an effort to keep lighting up the previous dull in the atmosphere they were in. “Wanna eat pancakes for dinner?”

Renjun grinned at his bestfriend. “Absolutely.”

“Well, go wash your face and dress. I’ll wait in the car.” The other winked and proceeded to saunter downstairs.

In fifteen minutes, Renjun was dressed appropriately for outdoors, not really doing anything other than washing his face and brushing his teeth. He took a shower before going to bed last night so he figured he was still relatively fresh enough for the day...err.. afternoon to not warrant another one.

He met with Jaemin on his car after making sure that his house was locked and they went to town, Jaemin raving about this newly opened cafe. Renjun just listened attentively, occasionally commenting and asking questions.

Apparently, the cafe was owned by an old family who returned back to Wilhemville just earlier this month. Jaemin wanted to check it out with Renjun as soon as it opened a few weeks ago because everyone he knew were saying that the cafe served the best pastries. But with their final exams and projects deadlines, it was difficult for them to find the time to do so.

However, now that summer vacation had started, the first thing Jaemin had on his itinerary was to finally try the infamous cafe.

He could feel the bubble of excitement oozing from his friend. One could say that his bestfriend was a food  _ enthusiast. _

Renjun couldn’t help but be slightly influenced by it, feeling the curiosity slowly come alive with a fizzle inside him and anticipating the food as well. Renjun had always been a fan of breakfast for dinner. If the cafe could provide him that, then it was definitely going to his list of Top Food Shops of Wilhemville.

When the cafe came into view, the moon perfectly rising behind it, he was startled by his own laugh at how convenient the name of the cafe was considering his latest…  _ life experiences. _

The cafe was named  _ Wolf It Down, _ with a wolf’s face on the first “O” and a moon on the second. He guessed the owners were fond of wolves and Renjun thought his mind was going bonkers initially if it weren’t for Jaemin’s comment.

“I know right? It was  _ punny. _ ” Jaemin said with a grin as soon as they exited the car. Renjun only rolled his eyes.

“Is this the reason why you so badly wanted to try it?” Renjun asked, humoring his friend. He knew Jaemin was a fan of puns.

“Heck, yeah, it is.” Jaemin paused for a split second then smirked. “Well, mostly.”

“I knew there was more to it.” Renjun just said with a knowing look.

He knew his bestfriend well enough to know that he was only  _ this  _ excited over three things: puns, food, and a person who piqued his interests.

With how things were going, seemed like  _ Cafe Wolf It Down  _ had it all.

As soon as they stepped foot inside the cafe, the bell on the door tinkled, signalling their entrance. The place wasn’t as packed as he thought it would be, though it wasn’t also worryingly empty.

The inside decor was a mix of wood and glass, earthy colors warm and welcoming for everyone. Renjun immediately liked the ambiance of it.

They chose a booth near the back first, only because the tables near the counter were already occupied by a few patrons. There was a small menu on each table, given that it was a pay as you order type of shop, it was really convenient. Customers didn’t have to stand awkwardly in front of the counter while still thinking of what to purchase, instead, the cafe gave them the option to be seated first and browse the menu before going up to the counter to order.

Renjun wordlessly peruse the menu even though he already made up his mind that he was going to get the breakfast meal option. After reading it, he decided that he liked what the cafe served and made a mental note to come back later in the week to check out some of their offered pastries and other set meals.

“Tell me your order, quick!” Jaemin tapped his hand lightly in a hurried manner. When he looked at his bestfriend he saw that the other’s eyes weren’t on him but on  _ something  _ beyond his shoulder.

“I want the pancakes with bacons, egg and frosty mocha for drink- Hey!” Renjun exclaimed when the other zipped past him, muttering an affirmation that he got his order already and rushed to the counter. “I wasn’t finished, asshole.” He grumbled on Jaemin’s empty seat. But he figured Jaemin got what he wanted considering it  _ was  _ a set meal.

Frowning, he could only follow his friend with a look on what the other was staring at before he literally dashed away and saw that there was a boy on the counter.

Of course, it was a boy. Renjun rolled his eyes and scoffed. So much for bros before human genitalia.

Watching with interest, Renjun observed the staff manning the counter. The boy had honey waves and sunkissed skin. He looked like he was the same age as them, if not just a bit older or younger. He welcomed Jaemin’s approach with a pleasant smile and his bestfriend visibly lit up at that. Renjun could only shake his head as he turned to properly sit in his chair.

A few minutes later, Jaemin got back with their orders and sat down, smiling goofily. Renjun eyed him questioningly, waiting for the other to  _ gush  _ because he knew that was what he was going to be subjected under in a few seconds.

He knew Jaemin like Jaemin knew him. They grew up together. It was inevitable. Like he said before, Jaemin was like the brother he never had. Their mothers liked to joked about how they were bestfriends  _ even  _ before they were born since their moms were friends and often hung out with each other during the last months of their pregnancies.

But the other didn’t fess up fast enough and Renjun got impatient, so he just decided to ask away after they had segregated their orders on the table in front of the owners respectively.

“What was  _ that? _ ” Renjun interrogated. Jaemin’s grin grew and he was worried for a moment that his bestfriend’s face would crack. Thankfully, it didn’t.

_ “That  _ was Donghyuck Lee.” Jaemin said reverently before leaning in like Renjun was about to get the juiciest gossip in town. He probably would.

“Okay?” Renjun replied nonchalantly as he sliced a bite out of pancakes for him to eat. Then, audibly  _ moaned. _ This was some really delicious and fluffy pancakes. Ten out of ten, already the best in Wilhemville. Renjun was delighted to have found his new favorite pancake house.

Jaemin barreled on. “I saw him in school registering for summer classes last week. Apparently, they just moved back to Wilhemville and the curriculum in his previous school was a little different to ours. So, to be able to enroll next school year, he needed to catch up on a few subjects first. Him and his cousin.”

Renjun raised an eyebrow, more interested in the food before him but didn’t really want to make Jaemin looked like he was talking to the air. So, he humored his bestfriend.

“And you know all of this because...?” He let the sentence trail for his bestfriend to fill.

“Well, I talked to him.” Jaemin said as a matter of factly, using the whole sentence and making it sound like a long  _ duh  _ . “Otherwise, I wouldn’t know that they also owned this cafe. Family business or something.”

“Of course. Of course, you talked to him.” Renjun said, making sure his tone was dripping with sarcasm. “And apparently, turned into a stalker who creepily goes in his work place too.”

“Oh, shut up. It’s not like that. I didn’t stalk him. He’s-” Jaemin abruptly stop because Donghyuck walked passed near them to wipe down a table at the far back. When the sunkissed boy was out of earshot, Jaemin leaned in and spoke in a low voice. “He’s cute.”

Renjun snorted at that, eyes wandering to Donghyuck who suddenly tilted his head like a dog as he busied himself wiping down the table. Huh. The action was vaguely familiar but Renjun couldn’t get his mind to figure out why it was so. The flavourful food he was, and there was no better way to put it, _wolfing_ _down_ in front of him was truly distracting.

“Well, he is.” Renjun admitted, finding no reason as to why he would disagree. He grabbed his melted frosty, tongue chasing the straw before adding as an afterthought as he watched Donghyuck go to another table to clean. “I’d tap him, to be honest.”

Jaemin gasped, looking at him with a betrayed expression on his face. “No, you won’t!”

“That’s not something for you to decide, don’t you think?” Renjun turned his eyes to his friend, leaving the sunkissed boy to his own devices but not without noticing the slight uptick on the other’s lips. He ended up laughing heartily, forgetting the other when he saw his friend’s downtrodden expression.

“He’s not your type.” Jaemin sputtered.

“You know my type?” He asked, eyebrows reaching his hairline.

“Yeah.”

“What is it, then?”

“Straight people who couldn’t give you the time of the day.”

“Oh, fuck you.” Renjun pouted before throwing a crumpled tissue paper to the other’s face, and missing. “That was one time.” He grumbled at Jaemin who looked smug, knowing that he got even. “It’s not even a  _ crush  _ . I just thought he was hot.”

“Semantics.”

Their conversation lulled after that as they both focused on eating. Partnered with the nice quiet music of the cafe, the clinking of dining wares on ceramics and the low chatters of the patrons, Renjun didn’t even noticed when the afternoon light had given way into the night. It was relaxing. Renjun felt normal. As if last night was nothing but just a passing dream one would forget after a few seconds.

Unfortunately, Renjun’s luck had long ran out last night as he spoke too soon about the normalcy of his life. He blamed everything that was happening to him in his ability to attract misfortunes like a magnet. In front of him, Jaemin made a noise when he looked up and Renjun snapped his attention to the other.

“If I remember correctly, I think that’s Donghyuck’s cousin. Wow, this family is really full of attractive people, huh.” Jaemin commented, curiously eyeing someone on the counter as he put more honey on his waffles.

Frowning, Renjun subtly turned around to check out the cousin. And nearly choked on the piece of pancake in his mouth when he saw the young man on the counter, wearing clothes similar to Donghyuck’s.

_ This could  _ not  _ be happening to me right now. _

Donghyuck’s cousin. The young man in the counter. It was none other than Jeno, the lycan from last night.

His human form in the flesh, at least. And if being in the same vicinity wasn’t bad enough, Jeno stopped in the middle of his sentence and snapped his head to Renjun’s direction, gaze immediately locking with his in recognition.

Renjun’s eyes widened and he hurriedly took back his gaze to stare down on their table deeming it the most interesting thing in the entire world as of this moment. He sent a silent prayer to all the gods available, wishing that Jeno hadn’t seen him yet (he obviously had). His heart lurched in his throat. He remembered vaguely reading about wolves having enhanced sense of hearing, and that they could recognize a person by the unique staccatos of their heartbeats.

Renjun was  _ so dead.  _ If he wasn’t dead enough, he was certain that Jeno with his fangs and claws would make sure that he was.

“Renjun?” His bestriend called out his name, sensing the waves of distress that Renjun was emitting from across him.

“Jaemin, we have to go. Now.” Renjun said in haste which Jaemin only frowned upon.

“Wait, we’re not finished eating yet.”

_ Oh, Jaemin, you big fool. We’re going to be human chows if we don’t get out of here fast. _ “Something urgent came up. Jaemin, we have to go.”

“Nooo, I haven’t even gotten my chocolate banana split yet. I already paid for it.” Jaemin whined in his seat like a child. Usually, it was adorable. But if they were going to be wolf food like white, naive rabbits at the end of the night by _ staying  _ here any longer, then it was just fucking inconvenient.

What if Jeno had thought that Renjun was  _ following  _ him? Dear God, he really hoped that wasn’t the case. He didn’t even want to leave his bed today. He should have never. Jaemin was a bad influence. Renjun should have just stayed at home in the safe confines of his bedroom, cocooned in his blanket like a fresh burrito.

“Jaem-”

“Here’s your chocolate banana split.”

Renjun froze in his place as he physically felt how his heart had leaped out of its cage and dove recklessly to the pit of his stomach after hearing the familiar voice. To his horror, Renjun realized that it was Jeno’s voice, deep and boyish but blanketed with the sour distaste for all things living.

Gulping, Renjun had to know if it’s actually Jeno, so he slowly looked up. And wished that he never did. Because Jeno was looking right back at him, his jaw was set and his eyes intense. He didn’t even put up with the pretense to be pleasant as he was technically working on customer service.

Mr. Grumpy McGrumpypants here was just straight up giving Renjun the murderous glare like his entire existence was nothing but a menace. He was scared, that much was obvious, but he also felt the spike of annoyance started to bubble inside of him.

As if he knew Jeno worked here. He didn’t. But of course, Jeno didn’t know that. He would know about it, if he  _ asked  _ instead of giving Renjun the ‘I-will-slowly-rip-all-of-your-limbs-one-by-one’ look. It’s not Renjun’s fault that they were in this situation.

He mentally nodded. Renjun had every right to be annoyed right now. He wasn’t in the wrong. So, he ended up doing what probably would cement his impending death.

Renjun  _ glared back. _

Which seemed to amuse Jeno for a single second before he masked his features with another one of his special scowls.

“Couldn’t you have put it down a little gentler?” Renjun snapped, still a participant of the intense staring battle with Jeno.

His sentence and tone had Jaemin snapping his gaze at him, wide-eyed as his movement to spoon a taste of the sweet and cold dessert was halted.

Alarmed, his bestfriend sent him a warning look, not wanting to cause a scene and surprised that Renjun was being vocal about nothing. It wasn’t like Jeno slammed the bowl down, but he didn’t do it in a pleasant way either which irked Renjun more.

Jaemin frowned at Renjun, not used to this irritable side of his bestfriend.

“Would you be satisfied and  _ leave  _ immediately if I did,  _ Sir? _ ” Jeno raised an eyebrow, talking through gritted teeth and adding the last word mockingly.

Renjun scoffed. “You are so ru-”

“Hi. Hello.” He was quickly cut off by Donghyuck who probably had been watching the unusual exchange from wherever he was and came to Jeno’s (or Renjun’s) rescue to stop the inevitable verbal battle. Donghyuck slung an arm over Jeno’s shoulders who, then, turned his glare to the sunkissed boy. Jeno looked like he wanted to fling Donghyuck over the floor to ceiling glass window beside Jaemin and Renjun’s table. But Jeno was ignored as the other boy continued to pour his attention on Renjun. “Forgive his actions. He’s new here and he is still learning how to act like a decent person. I hope you find it in your heart to look over this one blunder. It’s my pleasure to give you another desert for free as compensation for this incident.”

Renjun was silent for a moment, calming his nerves down and probably looking red from coiled anger and embarrassment for his over the top reaction. He knew he should’ve just let it go, but he was just being protective over Jaemin who didn’t deserve to be treated so rudely, no matter what.

With his rationality coming back, Renjun started to calm down, not really knowing where the sudden rage came from. Weird. But the moment it left, it was like Renjun was suddenly doused with cold water, the irritation evaporating with a click. Really weird.

“Really? Sweet!” Jaemin said at the same time, trying to diffuse the negative tension filled atmosphere, as Renjun muttered, “No, thanks.”

Donghyuck was stumped for a moment, confused as to which customer he was going to follow. Then, he probably thought that it was better to bribe them for their silence and turned to Jaemin with a smile.

“Great! I’ll go get it. Your dessert will be here shortly.” Donghyuck said and wordlessly dragged Jeno away with him.

And because Jeno was a supernatural creature with super strength (ugh, unfair), he managed to get away from Donghyuck’s arm lock and stomped back to their table with vengeance (purpose).

Jaemin startled visibly, looking all confused and curious at the same time when Jeno grabbed Renjun’s hand.

“Let’s talk.” Jeno only said before tugging on his arm to pull him up.

“Hey, what-” Renjun stumbled out of his chair, almost tripping if not for the strong body that he collided with and saved him from the fall. He recoiled immediately like he was burned, because strong body dude was Jeno. And he did not appreciate feeling all those strength right now. Maybe later. Whatever. “What do you want-”

“Shut up and come with me.” Jeno pinned him with an intense look that made him shut his mouth and nod in compliance. He sent a wave of assurance to Jaemin who was about to get up from his seat, confirming that he would just be out for a few minutes to settle and have a word with Grumpypants.

Renjun also hoped that Jaemin got his underlying message of  _ If I’m still out there after half an hour, call my mother. I possibly may have been murdered  _ . He probably didn’t. But Renjun liked to think he did for his own peace of mind as he let himself get directed to wherever Jeno wanted to take him.

Jeno’s grip on his wrist was tight and Renjun couldn’t help the wince that manifested on his expression. It was a little painful if he was being honest. The wolf probably forgot that he was manhandling a  _ human  _ . Very fragile at that.

As soon as he made a small sound that translated his hurt, he felt Jeno’s grip loosened without a word and Renjun was thankful for the slight relief.

The lycan led them both to the parking lot, away from the prying eyes of the few patrons inside the cafe. The night was settled around them but the parking lot was well illuminated so Renjun didn’t feel that much scared even though part of the Preserve just across the road was visible to his line of vision. He noticed the trees loom and it made him feel a little unnerved even from this distance.

But he focused on the person in front of him. Jeno was with him. And Renjun, no matter how in contrast this was with his previous actions, knew that Jeno was safe ground.

Renjun didn’t even have the time to nurse his wrist when Jeno let his hand go because the lycan was already stepping inside his personal space, crowding him between a huge car and his own body.

The other wasn’t close enough for their bodies to touch, but they were in near proximity that Renjun could smell the enchanting aroma of coffee and cakes as it wafted off from the other when the night breeze rushed past before them.

“That hurts,  _ Pluto  _ . Need I remind you that I’m human? And we’re very fragile!” Renjun sneered. Jeno growled lowly at the unsolicited nickname which he felt immense satisfaction from as he finally settled on the feeling of annoyance to get the better of him. “What do you want?” 

“Are you stalking me?” Jeno blurted out, eyes narrowed in disgust.

“Are you shitting me right now?”

That only had Jeno quirking his eyebrow as if he didn’t really expect much from Renjun. He was right- Jeno assumed that Renjun was following him around like those weird humans who got obsessed with supernatural creatures once they found out it was real.

This was why some supes avoided revealing themselves as much as possible. Creepy humans.

“Shut up and just answer the question.”

Renjun lifted his chin smugly. “Do you want me to shut up or answer your question? I can’t really do both at the same time no matter how good of a multitasker I am.”

That earned him an animalistic growl from the lycan and Jeno flashed his electric blue eyes at Renjun. Which was effective, by the way. Renjun might have had peed his pants a little as he took a step back and hit the car behind him harshly. Jeno looked like he was seconds away from beheading Renjun for being a little shit.

All this bravado was just for show, Renjun  _ knew  _ deep inside him. But still, it was instinctual of him to cower in front of someone who he knew could turn into an apex predator at any given moment. Wincing, Renjun bulled his way through and tamped his fear down, knowing that the other wouldn’t do anything to give his identity away so easily by publicly eviscerating Renjun in the parking lot.

And he was correct, because a few seconds later, Jeno calmed himself down a little and also took a step back, sighing.

“Just answer the question.”

Huffing, Renjun raised his chin again, refusing to let his fear show. “For your information, the world doesn’t revolve around you. I was just eating some breakfast food for dinner. I literally didn’t even know that you work here until I saw you just a few minutes ago.”

Jeno’s head tilted at that, like he could hear something, and visibly relaxed, humming in approval.

“Did you tell your little friend in the cafe about what happened last night?”

“No?” He couldn’t help but slightly be uncertain with his answer. He was just confused as to why Jeno was asking him this question when he should know that he had made himself very clear to Renjun that it would be death or silence. It was a no-brainer and Renjun knew the  _ correct  _ answer to that.

“Renjun.” Jeno snapped with warning, obviously not liking his answer.

“No! Jesus, Jeno. Of course, not. You really didn’t give me much of a choice, anyway. Why would I risk my and others’ lives by being a gossip?”

“Good.” He nodded, satisfied with the answer that he got. Then, Jeno started to walk off, back to the cafe without as much as another word or a glance.

“What the hell?” Renjun couldn’t help blurting out, kicking away from the car he was leaning on to, confused and mildly frustrated again. “That’s it? You dragged me outside just for that?”

Turning to him and walking backwards, Jeno looked smug, an air of confidence breezing his every step.

“Well, yeah. I guess. You can't expect me to ask those  _ inside  _ . Or do you want me to ask more questions?”

Renjun didn’t say anything after that, only gave the other a withering glare as the man continued to walk away from him, not really waiting for an answer.

He waited until the other was at the entrance of the cafe before muttering. “You’re such an asshole.”

Jeno whipped his head back to him at that, clearly hearing Renjun even from the distance. He flashed his electric blue eyes at him for a second and curled his lips to emit a low snarl.

Renjun retorted with his own version of a snarl (see:  _ sneer  _ ) before he saw the other’s eyes went back to its normal color, continuing his retreat to the cafe but not without rolling his eyes. With a last scowl, Jeno entered the establishment, seemingly done dealing with Renjun for tonight.

Huh. So, the enhanced hearing of lycans and werewolves alike  _ were  _ real. Renjun noted before starting the short walk from the parking lot to the cafe to fetch a gluttonous Jaemin so they could finally leave this blasted establishment. No matter how good the food was.

Wistfully, Renjun sighed. He was a little bitter about the fact that the food was delicious. It was a shame that Jeno was such a dick to him. He wondered briefly if he could get Jeno’s schedule from someone so he would know when the other would not be in the cafe and he could eat his pancakes in peace.

As he crossed the asphalt of the parking lot, Renjun’s feet suddenly stuttered unconsciously.

All the noises died around him. Nothing could be heard except for the descending footfalls of his own shoes as they hit the ground. His feet slowed their movements until he was halted by his own self.

The hairs on the back of his neck had risen as he got the conspicuous feeling of being chased by the shadows of the trees across the road from behind him.

The phantom shadows came alive, pushing their way out behind the trees as they elongated unnaturally to make its way to him.

His breath faltered when he realized that he had completely stopped walking by now, mind immediately reeling back to last night’s incident. His breathing transitioned into shallow pants, coming up short as the phantom feeling closed in from behind him.

Renjun’s palms started to sweat. He forced himself to start walking, to  _ do something  _ instead of being stuck in his track. It felt as if he was vertically paralized, unable to move from his place, held captive by an invisible force.

Renjun opened his mouth and tried to call for help, the cafe was just a few feet away, after all. If he could just call someone’s attention.

_ Anyone  _ .  _ Please. _

It was a futile attempt, he realized with a dread. Hands trembling on his side, he found out that he couldn’t speak. Renjun was a prisoner of this tar black time and space. The air stilted around, there was  _ something  _ behind him, getting closer and closer as the seconds ticked by.

He knew it was there, straining to reach him with its ghostly talons. He couldn’t see its face, or the rest of its body. He couldn’t even turn back to take a peek, frozen in fear. But his brain  _ knew  _ somehow.

The insubstantial phantom from the shadowed woods was just a few steps away from Renjun’s person.

Closing his eyes, Renjun couldn’t help the quiet whimper that came out of his trembling lips. All he could do was wait for that something to strike.

When his heart reached its crescendo, nothing happened. The air was stagnant, suspended in its place for a few seconds as Renjun waited with bated breath for the pain of being sliced.

Nothing.

He opened his eyes, and the world’s noise was back, as if the monster from the shadow had vanished as soon as the world started moving again, unpausing around him like nothing happened.

“Renjun?” Jaemin called out from the entrance, holding on to the door handle with a paper bag on his free hand. He was looking at him with a confused pout on his lips. “What happened?”

Gulping, Renjun looked around him, eyes manic, mind spooked. But nothing was there. It was as if what happened was just in his mind. His breathing was still erratic, heart going a mile a minute.

But he forced himself to calm down. It was probably just an aftermath of his experience from last night. His mind was playing tricks on him. Renjun cursed silently, turning to Jaemin who had started to get closer to where he was standing.

“Nothing.” He said with a smile, hoping that the short distance would still hide the strain in it, wiping his sweaty palms over his denims. “I thought you wanted to stay a little bit more?”

“Well, Dad called and wanted me home to fix his new phone. So I just had the food wrapped to go.” Jaemin said with a shrug.

Trepidation engulfed Renjun’s wits wholly, sinking its claws under his skin, settling comfortably there as if it was a welcomed guest. Being alone in an empty house was only going to make things worse for him. Renjun didn’t feel too good, waves of nausea rocking his head and making it pound.

“Oh.” Renjun breathed. “Well, okay. Can I hang at yours? Mom’s not at home and I don’t really want to be alone right now. It’s boring.” He added the last bit in haste to make his request sound less desperate than he was feeling at that moment.

“Sure.” Jaemin unlocked his car and Renjun quickly opened the passenger door and sat himself inside before the other could clue in on his unease.

“Nice.”

“You could also sleep over if you want.”

Jaemin was the  _ bestest  _ friend anyone could have ever asked for. Renjun could testify to that. Somehow, the offer made everything a little better, knowing that he wouldn’t be sleeping alone tonight.

“Yeah, that would be great. Thanks, Jaem.” Relieved, Renjun sported a smile a little more genuine than before, and nodded.

Jaemin effortlessly peeled off the parking lot and hit the road in no time. He could feel his bestfriend buzzing with questions about what happened, but he didn’t feel like sharing unprompted when he wasn’t even certain if he could disclose anything without accidentally stumbling on a landmine. He figured that if Jaemin wanted to know, he would ask and Renjun would just wing it from there.

But it wasn’t until they were a few minutes away from the cafe that the wait almost gave Renjun an aneurysm on the spot, when the other had decided to break the faux comfortable silence between them.

“So…” Cautiously, Jaemin started as they stopped by a red light. “Anything you wanna tell me? Like, what the fuck was that about with Donghyuck’s cousin?”

“It’s… It’s nothing.” Renjun winced, releasing a breath, relieved that Jaemin finally dropped the question because he was honestly feeling uncomfortable with it hanging above the stillness in the car. At the same time, Renjun felt uneasy because he didn’t want to talk about  _ that  _ also.

“Doesn’t look like nothing to me. Please do elaborate. Because I have all the time in the world, Renjun. It’s summer.”

Heaving a sigh, Renjun tried to find the words to tell his friend everything… without really telling him  _ anything  _ that could potentially imperil his friend’s life. He couldn’t really lie to Jaemin to save his life, the other knew him so well and could detect his lie from a mile away. 

Jaemin was being lenient to him this morning because the other could sense his distress and knew when to give him space. But the other was also inherently curious and invasive, so it was only a matter of time before Jaemin gave in to his nature.

“We met last night. Uhm… accidentally. While I was doing the dare in the woods.” Renjun paused, letting that sink in, looking down at his fiddling fingers on his lap, suddenly finding it interesting.

Well, it wasn’t an outright lie and he did meet Jeno accidentally in the Preserve. Jaemin didn’t have to know the gruesome details behind it all. Hell, he didn’t even know if Jeno had already taken care of the corpse in the Preserve. The lycan said it wasn’t any of his business, but Renjun couldn’t really let it go since he was involved in the incident firsthand.

“I got lost and he saw me. Offered to take me back home.”

Jaemin turned to him for a quick second, eyes widened in disbelief before turning to the road again. “And you let him? You? Renjun Huang and your snobby and mean demeanor?”

“Hey, I’m not like that.” Renjun pouted.

“Geez, apparently. Since you let a stranger take you home within minutes of meeting you. Didn’t peg you to be that easy.” But Jaemin had a teasing smile on his lips so Renjun knew the little shit was just teasing him.

“I let Uber and taxi drivers take me home. And I don’t even know them.” He countered, figuring it was best to ride the newfound light atmosphere before it dissipated again.

“That’s because it’s their job! Wait, you know what? I don’t care.” Then, Jaemin frowned. Pressing the accelerator to make the car move when the light above turned green.“I thought your mom called you, anyway?”

Renjun mentally cursed, biting the inside of his cheek until he could taste the metallic liquid on his palate. Shit, he forgot about that.

“She did.” He recovered quickly. “Right after I met Jeno. And that’s when I called you.”

“Oh, okay.” Jaemin nodded. “He’s cute, anyway. So, I kinda understand why you’d want him to take you home in an instant-”

Gasping, Renjun turned to the other, expression looking scandalized. Jaemin could not be serious, right now. Him? And Jeno? Definitely,  _ never going to happen. _ Ever. Jeno was way out of his league-

Renjun cleared his throat.

Also.

Just a while ago, Jeno was just threatening his life, flashing electric blue eyes and growling at him. Renjun couldn’t help but shiver at the insinuation that Jaemin’s words implied, feeling mortified.

Groaning, Renjun scratched his head. “Oh my God, Jaemin. It wasn’t like that.”

“Sure, it wasn’t.  _ Yet. _ ”

Renjun flicked Jaemin’s ear because of that, the other only laughing at his expense. When his bestfriend’s laughing fit calmed down into a teasing smile and Renjun was certain that his own face resembled that of a cherry more than a human’s, Jaemin continued talking.

“What was he doing lurking in the woods at that time of the night?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

“You were in a car with him for half an hour or so and you didn’t talk?”

“I was scared, okay. I told you there was… a wolf or something. And it was a short drive since there was no traffic.”

“Oh, right, didn’t you say you heard a wolf’s howl? You should tell him that it’s dangerous in the Preserve at night. I heard this morning that there was a mountain lion spotted in one part of the Preserve.” And his bestfriend went on a monologue about how scary it was to encounter a mountain lion on the loose, the pros and cons of living in Wilhemville, and what happened last night after Renjun went MIA on the group.

Renjun was thankful that Jaemin seemed to have let the topic of Jeno go, not asking anymore questions and not mentioning the incident in the parking lot for the rest of the drive to the Na’s since he didn’t really know if he could pull any more lies out of his ass for the night.

Anyone who said lying was a breeze should stop lying. Renjun was exhausted and he didn’t even lie. Technically, he just omitted the details and carefully worded the facts to make it sound like he knew what he was doing.

When they hit the bed later, Renjun had dreams of electric blue eyes shining luminescent amidst the dark sentient shadows.

*

Sighing, Renjun stared longingly on the blank canvass before him.

He had been trying to come up with an idea for the art piece that he was going to do for the art club’s exhibit next school year since this morning.

However, even though he had been brainstorming for hours, he was still empty handed. It was already frustrating enough that he had to come to school  _ on a summer day  _ just to work on this piece, the heat was also killing him.

This was the worst and Renjun was getting anxious the more time the glaringly white piece of canvass stared right back at him, as if taunting him for his inability to think of a theme.

Renjun didn’t want to brag but there was a lot of expectations for this artwork since it was his first masterpiece that will be revealed ever since he became the art club’s president. So. Go figure out why he was nothing but a bundle of nerves right now.

In most occasions, he would’ve just called or sent a quick message to his friends to ask for suggestions. But all of his friends were busy with their part-time jobs and summer shenanigans, leaving Renjun to worry about his problem alone.

Though, in retrospect, Renjun’s friends were all idiots and unhelpful too, but at least he would have someone to rant about it to keep his brain’s metaphorical juices flowing instead of being stuck in a loop of nothingness like this.

“I’m gonna off myself. I’m gonna stab my eyes out with this paintbrush. I would literally kill myself  _ dead. _ ” Renjun muttered under his breath.

“That’s pretty gruesome even for me.”

“Jesus fuck!”

Flailing like a goldfish out of it’s bowl, Renjun almost caused a huge accident by knocking over the easel if he didn’t catch it in time. He whipped his head towards the voice and saw Jeno lounging behind one of the long desks, feet propped up with a bored expression on his face as he read a book, holding it in one hand as he flipped a page nonchalantly. He didn’t even spared Renjun a look. He just kept reading.

When did he get inside the room? Why was he here? What does he want?

Glaring and nursing his chest, Renjun felt his heart jackrabbit inside of him.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? You wanna kill me by giving me a heart attack?” 

“No? But isn’t that what you planned to do even before I said something?” Jeno looked up at him for a second to show his smirk, then continued reading.

Renjun was definitely not amused by the show of disrespect. This was  _ his  _ sanctuary. And Jeno was trespassing. No matter if this belonged to Wilhemville Highschool grounds. Renjun could vaguely remember Jaemin talking about Donghyuck and his cousin a few days ago, mentioning something about the two being enrolled for summer classes to catch up on their school’s curriculum. It was probably the reason why Jeno was in their school.

Still. Jeno was in  _ his  _ territory. In this art room, Renjun was the ruler.

“How long have you been there?”

Jeno shrugged. “A while.”

“A whi- that’s really fucking creepy dude, you know that, right?” Renjun shook his head not even wanting to know more about how Jeno got in without his knowledge. “What are you even doing here?” He asked with distaste and mild curiosity.

He wasn’t really mad, he was just being petty over being treated so rudely in the cafe more than a week ago. Also, at least he could take revenge on Jeno a little by making him feel uninvited.

Yeah, yeah, Renjun knew that it was a weak revenge but it wasn’t like he could just sucker punch the dude. Jeno was a lycan, a supernatural creature with super senses and super strength. All the supers, yay. If he did manage to land a hit on the other, Renjun was pretty certain he would be the one nursing an injury instead of causing it, like he initially intended.

Another reason why it sucked to be human.

“Uh, reading? What does it look like I’m doing, dumbass.” Jeno said audaciously with a quirk on his lips.

Okay now, Renjun was kind of irked. Jeno was making it difficult to  _ like  _ him. No matter how nice of a view his face was. Or his body. Renjun scoffed, at himself or at Jeno, nobody would know.

“Yeah, I pretty much got that shit down,  _ Poochie.  _ I meant, why  _ here? _ You do know that this was the art room, right? If it wasn’t obvious enough by the easels and artworks displayed everywhere. The library is open, go read there.”

Jeno scrunched up his nose at that. “Too many people.” He grumbled in distaste.

_ Too many people? What does that even mean? _

He thought lycans were supposed to be chill with humans since they were harmless and basically at the lowest level of the food chain. Not that humans weren’t dangerous, but their level of lethality waned after the supernatural came out.

Anyway, lycans were mystifying to him, but Renjun was probably underestimating the extent of it.

That or it was just Jeno. He couldn’t really be too sure since the wolf was the first, and only, supernatural creature he knew as of this moment.

“Uh, no? It’s the summer so it’s not that crowded in there.” Renjun said with a frown.

Jeno looked like he was about to blow a fuse inside his head but he took a deep breath. Renjun felt smug and took pride in the fact that he could at least annoy Jeno to death.  _ Sucks for you,  _ Scooby-doo, _ I have the power of being a pain in the ass to anyone I meet. _

“Can’t you just get back to whatever you’re doing so I could get my reading done?”

“Now, you’re pissed at me?” Renjun couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You’re the one who’s invading my safe space here by just barging in  _ my  _ art room and inviting himself to a seat, dude.”

Clearly annoyed now, Jeno closed the book he was reading but not without putting his thumb in between the pages so he could still go back to where he left off, and faced Renjun. “Someone was making out in the library and I could hear them exchanging spits, okay? I can’t really study with that hindering my focus. And all the other classrooms are either locked or have people having classes in them. It’s too hot outside. You really think this was my first choice?”

Renjun went silent at that, not really knowing what to reply at the other’s outburst. But he recovered quickly and scowled. How naive could Jeno be? Everyone knew that the furthest corner of the library was reserved for hormonal teens who wanted to do gross things at school and couldn’t wait to at least go home or go somewhere private before they let their hands lose on each other.

Seriously, Renjun had seen things. And they were  _ not  _ good things. He wished he could unsee them.

“Well, it’s common knowledge that no one takes the tables at the far back of the library if they really want to get some reading or studying done because it was a famous making out spot. I’m sure you have that unspoken rule in your last school too.”

“I know that.” Jeno said through gritted teeth. “I was sitting in front of the librarian but I could  _ hear  _ them.”

At first, Renjun didn’t get it. Were the people at the back sucking each other’s faces  _ that  _ loudly? Their library was pretty huge and if they were being that intense and lose with their mouths then the librarian should’ve caught them and told them off already. But his questions were halted at the tip of his tongue when everything finally clicked.

“Whoa, you could hear that much?” His frown vanished and his face cleared with excitement as awe took over. Which he quickly tamped down because he didn’t want Jeno to discover his awe for him. He did not deserve Renjun’s admiration. Well, at least not in his face.

Renjun wouldn’t be caught admiring the other. Nope. Never. Over his dead body.

He channeled his inner zen and schooled his face to neutral interest.

“Unfortunately.” Jeno said with light scowl. Seriously, didn’t he have any other expression except for scowling, frowning and looking smug? He could only dismiss that thought.

Instead of getting fully distracted, Renjun winced, going back to the topic at hand. Well, that was one downside of being a supernatural wolf with a sensitive sense of hearing, he guessed. Just thinking about hearing things Renjun definitely did  _ not  _ want to hear, more so if it was those kind of gratuitous sounds, gave him the heebie jeebies.

“Don’t you live in a pack, though? Shouldn’t you be… used to it by now?”

“It’s different with packs. We have ways to avoid those kinds of situations. Soundproofing a room is one of them.” Jeno looked stumped for a second at what he said. Probably feeling like he had said too much so carelessly, but the other schooled his features quickly and went back to scowling. More so at himself than Renjun.

He didn’t have it in him to poke fun at that. That’s lycan pack business and from what he had read, pack dynamics were not something to mess with, especially with born ones. No matter what it was for.

“Yeah. That’s too much work, I guess.” He said after much contemplation about more things he didn’t want to hear unsolicitedly. He got another chill run down his spine. Then, he bit the inside of his cheek, giving Jeno a considering look. “Well, I guess, you could stay. Just don’t… don’t come unannounced or surprise me like that ever again.”

“I’m gonna stay even if you said no, anyway. I’ve been coming here ever since my summer classes had started. This is still school grounds, after all.”

“Asshole.” Renjun muttered under his breath.

“I heard that.”

“I intended for you to.” He replied in a sing-song voice as he turned his back from Jeno who only shook his head disapprovingly.

Begrudgingly, he ignored Jeno’s presence behind him no matter how difficult that was because  _ duh,  _ turning your back on a predator was a no-no.

Nevertheless, he pushed through and picked up the long forgotten paintbrush that he dropped on the floor before to finally get back to work with his task. No matter how much he really didn’t want to. Ugh. Being artistic was pain in  _ his  _ ass.

It was silent after that, both of them at an equilibrium and finding peace in respectively doing their own things without so much as a glance or quip to one another.

Renjun was fine with that. Since he somehow found himself taking comfort in the fact that he wasn’t alone even if he and Jeno weren’t exchanging anymore words.

In the next half an hour, Renjun still couldn’t produce an idea for his artpiece’s theme or subject. Leaving the brush atop the stool next to him, he rummaged through his rucksack and pulled out his sketchpad. He turned to flip it open and mindlessly browsed through it, hoping against all odds that he could find inspiration in one of his previous drawings.

He was getting desperate by the minute, sighing every time he scrapped a previous idea and turning to another page frustratingly, trying to look for something that could ignite the spark of creativity within him.

“Can you please stop with the constant sighing and pitiful whining? I can’t concentrate on what I’m reading and I have a quiz in an hour on whatever the fuck Fitzgerald wanted to say in this book.”

“Why don’t you just maul me like that witch if you wanted your complete silence?” Renjun hated the words as soon as he whipped them out of his mouth and had thrown it at Jeno. The look of surprise on the other’s face would have been funny if Renjun didn’t feel sick to his stomach at the memory of the bloodied corpse.

“Okay. Touchy.” Jeno said, carefully eyeing Renjun.

“Sorry. I’m sorry.” He said instantly as soon as he could sense that Jeno wasn’t mad at him. “I didn’t mean to say that. I was just… frustrated. Sorry for snapping at you like that.”

“Yeah, no shit. We’ve been here for almost an hour and I’m pretty sure you’ve been staring at that blank canvass for longer than that.” Jeno closed the book and looked interested. Renjun noted that he didn’t put a bookmark to remember the part where he had left off. “What are you working on, anyway?”

Renjun’s expression turned sour. He wasn’t working on anything. That was the problem.

“Nothing. Literally nothing. I should have started at least something by now but I couldn’t come up with a subject for this piece. I need it for the exhibit on the upcoming school year opening. It’s so stupid.”

Jeno pursed his lips, looking at him contemplatively, before lifting a shoulder. “Maybe you should go out.”

“What?” Renjun scoffed. He thought they were over that this-room-is-mine argument. “You’re not going to make me leave the art room. Over my dead body.”

Jeno rolled his eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that, doofus. I mean, go outside and take a walk or something. Soul search, for fuck’s sake- I don’t know. Find inspiration in being one with nature or observing other people. Isn’t that what you artists do?”

Renjun narrowed his eyes at the tone that Jeno had used, who was obviously mocking him.

But.

The idea was also something that Renjun haven’t tried yet. It seemed like a pretty decent advice if you asked him. Renjun had heard some of the members of the art club talking about doing something akin to the sort of what Jeno had just said, which then ended up with fruitful results.

He wasn’t opposed to inhaling fresh air every now and then, too. Being a bookworm and practically glued to his laptop most of the time when he's free of school works, Renjun didn’t really have a lot of chances to spare outside the confines of his home.

Don’t get him wrong, he loved being a homebody. The only times he would go out was when his friends would invite him outside. Like if Jaemin decided to drag his ass out of his bed. Or if Chenle needed someone to study with. Also when he wanted or really had to. He wasn’t really the type to go people watching and nature traipsing.

In conclusion, Renjun seldomly experienced nature and the outside world for someone his age. And, maybe deep down, he wondered if that was the reason why he was having a hard time coming up with an idea for the project.

That was why Renjun thought that what Jeno had suggested was something he should do. Or at least, try.

If it didn’t work, then he could just blame Jeno.

“I think that’s a pretty solid idea.” Renjun hummed. “But I don’t know exactly how I’m going to do that. It’s not like I could just stare at people like a creeper.”

“They’re not going to know that you’re watching them anyway, you weirdo. I didn’t tell you to stare at them blatantly. You could just sit in a cafe or anywhere public and immerse yourself with the vicinity. Watch and listen. Feel the ambience.” Jeno shrugged, standing up and stretching.

Renjun pointedly kept his eyes firm on Jeno’s face and definitely did not spare a glance on the skin that took a peek above the waist of his jeans.

“You’re really good at this, you know?”

Jeno scoffed. “Just take it or leave it. I really don’t care.”

“And the nature thingy?” He asked, following Jeno’s movements like a hawk with a hint of a smile on his face as the other languidly packed his things up, preparing to leave the art room to probably go attend his next class. And it wasn’t until the wolf was on the door that Renjun’s inquiry was answered, Jeno turning sideways to look at him as he twisted the door knob.

“I don’t know. Just go to the woods and do the same thing, I guess. Watch and listen.”

The door closed with a low thud followed by Jeno’s fading footfalls

And just like that, Renjun was alone with his thoughts again. There was a lot of it, clashing and similar thoughts swirling inside his mind like a whirlwind chasing the end of the earth. But one thing stood out to him the most. 

Did he just became kind of but not really friends with Jeno?

Going back, it seemed like that was what happened. It wasn’t Renjun’s intention to become friends with the other. God knows how much Jeno scared him to bits, even now. He still wasn’t certain about the status of their very bleak  _ friendship  _ \- that, he was sure of- but they were just holding a very civil conversation just a while ago without the growling, scowling and showing really scary electric blue eyes.

Renjun couldn’t help a wide smile from forming on his lips. Unbeknownst to both of them, they were making progress after all, to say the least.

It wasn’t such a bad thought. Potentially being friends with Jeno, that was. In fact, he thought it’d be really interesting since everything would be new and different because of his inherent supernatural-ness.

Getting back to work, Renjun sat there for almost half an hour before finally deciding that being in an enclosed room wasn’t really helping him procure new ideas. He was just wasting his time and everyone knew time didn’t wait for anyone. Especially, someone unimportant and ordinary like Renjun.

Packing his things neatly into a bag, Renjun planned his little excursion tomorrow, making mental notes about places in Wilhemville that he wanted to try and check out.

Maybe, he could go to the museum and the mall in the morning through lunch. After that, if nothing could still give him an inspiration, maybe he could go straight to the Preserve.

That halted his movements for a moment. But then he shrugged. As much as possible, he didn’t really want to go back to the Preserve alone, but he figured that if it was day time, he’d be safe.

Clearly, Renjun wasn’t going to stray off the manmade pathwalk, anyway. If he was lucky enough, he would probably come across some tourists and afternoon joggers while he was there doing his  _ immersion. _

Deeming that he was finished packing and mentally nodding approval at his plan, Renjun left the school to go home and get some preparation done for his trip tomorrow. He didn’t really need to pack or prepare much anyway, but Renjun liked to be equipped for any possible scenarios.

The bus was almost empty save for the old woman with the grocery bags on her feet and two girls who were giggling on their phones when Renjun stepped foot inside it. He took a seat near the back and was pulling out his earphones when he got a call from Jaemin.

_ “Have you heard?” _ His bestfriend greeted him gleefully as soon as he answered the call.

“What is it this time?” Renjun asked, frowning, looking around him and confirming there wasn’t anyone near him. Not that there was before, it was one of the reasons why Renjun chose the seat. But he just liked to make sure because Jaemin tended to share a lot of inappropriate details about his life at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

Seriously, the guy was shameless and Jaemin couldn’t really give two shits about it. Instead, it was always Renjun who suffered the embarrassment for him.

_ “They found a body in the Preserve!” _ Jaemin exclaimed excitedly on the other line. Renjun felt his stomach dropped.  _ “Apparently, it had been dead for a few days now.” _

Shit. His mind jumped to race. Was it possible that Jeno didn’t take care of the witch’s body and just left it there? Renjun was sure that he had some hair strand there or some fingerprints that could point him as the suspect of a crime he didn't even commit. And Jeno’s blood was all over that floor! Shit!

Being named a homicide suspect at the end of the day was so not in Renjun’s forethought when he woke up this morning. Not entirely fucking cool. If he found out that it was the witch and Jeno did not take care of her body like he implied, he was going to kill Jeno. At least, then, the label of a murderer would be true.

Renjun really didn’t want to find out though. But he knew he had to ask before the dread ended up suffocating him.

“W-who?” He asked, trying his hardest to sound normal even though his heartbeat had already picked up.

_ “Some jogger found it. But the police and paper are already there so I thought you know, you would know. Since your mom is the sheriff now.” _

“No, Jaemin. I didn’t know. But I meant, who was the victim? Do you have any idea?” Renjun figured that since Jaemin’s father worked for the local newspaper, and his bestfriend was working part-time there, he would know the answer.

“ _ Oh, my bad. I thought you were asking who found the body. _ ” Jaemin giggled and Renjun had a passing thought why his friend could have a chit-chat on the phone while working. “ _ I think they confirmed an hour ago that it was a delivery man in his 40’s from the next town over. _ ”

At that, Renjun felt himself relax the grip on his thigh that he didn’t even realize he was doing until his fingers had loosened its hold. That meant Renjun was safe and Jeno kept his word.

God, keeping what happened on that one fateful night as a secret was probably the most difficult thing he had done in his life. And this was no exaggeration.

Lying to his friends and family was the worst. The only thing that Renjun was holding on to was the fact that it also meant that they were safe from harm’s way. And that… that in itself was enough for him to keep his teeth clenched throughout this mess.

Jaemin continued, taking Renjun’s silence as his cue to keep talking.  _ “But you know what’s even more interesting? They said that it wasn’t an animal attack and that the man was murdered with, and this is the best part, a sword. A fucking sword, Renjun! How cool is that?” _

Renjun frowned and snorted. “I really don’t think being impaled to death with a sword is something cool, Jaemin. Have some sympathy for the dead.”

_ “Well, he’s dead anyway? And I don’t know him personally. It’s not like he’s going to come back and haunt me.” _

“For God’s sake, Jaemin. Stop talking.” He scolded.

_ “Yeah. Yeah. Oh shit. Dad’s back from the crime scene. I gotta go and do some real job. Talk to you later, hmm?” _

“Not really looking forward to it.” Renjun said but Jaemin only laughed at that before ending the call.

*

Exhausted out of his wits, Renjun was really not in the mood for the stupid sun beating down on his skin thinking he was some fucking barbecue.

The morning did not end in a way that he was expecting it to do. He went to the museum and mall to go people watching and ambience immersing but so far, he had only came up with two potential things to do for his art piece.

Not to mention that he woke up and found himself sleeping in an awkward position  _ on the floor  _ last night and his body felt sore all over. He probably fell off the bed during his sleep. It was a common problem Renjun had. Adding to that, he also had a mild headache to boot so. Life sucked for Renjun right now. More so than before, amazingly.

Going back to his more pressing dilemma, he belatedly realized that the themes he had listed for the art piece’s potential theme were mediocre at best, in his opinion. Renjun found out that he wasn’t satisfied with it, after contemplating about them during lunch which left him in an even sour mood.

Somehow, he still couldn’t find  _ that  _ factor he was looking for. The spark that would make him feel ignited. And after much pondering, he found himself sitting in the bus, on his way to one of the Preserve’s official entrances.

Now, standing at the entrance of the Preserve with the sun so high up in the sky and a bottle of water in his hand, Renjun braced himself for a gruelling physical activity that he was going to subject himself into. He really didn’t want to do this. His body was not fit enough to take a hike in the middle of the summer heat… or any season at all.

There was also the nagging matter of the fear he had of the woods that he recently acquired from the previous  _ incident-that-should-not-be-named  _ . But he psyched himself up, because it’s daytime and he knew that there were people out there who went inside ahead of him. He saw! So, he hiked up his rucksack and nodded.

“Well, Renjun. It’s now or never.” He muttered to himself, ignoring the look he got from the small group of adolescent teens who were readying to enter the Preserve as well, and for what, Renjun didn’t want to know. They weren’t going for a jog, that’s for sure.

Stepping foot inside the Preserve’s property, Renjun had this inkling, terrible thought that he would get jumped by something or someone at any moment. The fading bruises he had on his neck throbbed as if reminding him of the horrors that lie in these woods.

But a few minutes into the cleared path for tourists and locals with nothing out of the ordinary happening, Renjun had started to feel at ease and began to take his surroundings in without the constant vigilance he initially had.

The trees were viridescent in the light. The shrubs were plush, it’s color vibrant, signifying its healthy state. The air was fresh, smelling of bark wood, wildflowers and earth with a little hint of dew in the atmosphere from last night’s pitter patter of a summer rain.

It was kind of colder inside, Renjun noticed belatedly. The high tree branches shielding the cleared path from the burning sun. He savored it, thankful that he wouldn’t have to go through this trek and risked getting a heat stroke.

Renjun just took and took, feeding his senses with the sound, the visual, the smell, remembering Jeno’s words to  _ feel  _ and  _ immerse  _ himself with nature.

It wasn’t until a little bit later that Renjun finally arrived to one of the clearings inside the Preserve. At that moment, his feet were already tired from almost half an hour of trekking without proper stretching nor equipment. He was wearing a sneakers, for fuck’s sake.

The clearing was one of the smaller ones, hence, the lack of people in it. Renjun was fine with that. After all, he was just a few steps away from the cleared path and he could see the group of teenagers passing by a few moments after him, talking much too loudly and obnoxiously in contrast to the peaceful silence of the woods.

Renjun sat on the grass with a sigh, glad that the place was well-maintained and cleaned regularly to attract more tourists. The Preserve was a private and public property of their town. The land was a co-proprietorship of their local government and one of the oldest families that resided in Wilhemville, the Lee’s.

It was public knowledge that almost all of Wilhemville was owned by the Lee family until the late 80’s, when they decided to sell half of the property to the government. They were an old family and rumor has it that they were even the first ones to reside in town.

Rich and respected, the Lee family was fundamentally the backbone of their little town’s community, owning a lot of establishments in town and half of the Preserve. More than that, the family was kind and down to Earth despite being old money. Well, that, Renjun wasn’t a hundred percent sure of since he had never met a Lee in his life. But Mom did, and she only had good words for them.

Renjun trusted his mother’s words more than anyone else’s. 

However, the Lee half of the Preserve was off-limits to outsiders, tourists and the likes, because they mostly live there and they take their privacy seriously. Renjun could understand. After all, the Preserve half located in the Lee’s estate was more untamed and unmaintained. Any trespassers were their responsibility even if those people intentionally crossed the stream that divided the public Preserve and Lee property, highly aware that they were doing something illegal.

Deep in his thoughts, Renjun stared blankly ahead as he drank water from the bottle, feeling all kinds of refreshed. He was still capping the water bottle when he suddenly had the feeling of someone’s eyes watching him from behind. The hair at the back of his neck rose, his bruises feeling extra sensitive at the chill that zipped down his body.

Renjun forced his breaths to escape him in a deliberate pace, trying to keep himself from getting anxious. It could just be one of the joggers or teenagers. Right. It’s daytime for Christ’s sake. No one would dare to attack him in broad daylight. This was Wilhemville and not New York. 

Slowly and subtly, Renjun turned his head to the side, bracing himself to run if something with malintent was really there.

What he saw was nothing but an empty narrowed path that lead to the main cleared path. Releasing a relieved breath, Renjun looked around that part more, straining his neck. However, he saw nothing except for nature and the feeling of being watched vanished from the forefront of his mind.

He shook his head. Renjun was becoming paranoid and it was definitely not great for his heart or his mental state. He was still young but it felt like he was ageing by the minute faster than anyone else the more time he spent overthinking these things.

Concluding that it was probably just the wind or the lack of rest, he turned to his front to pick up the bag he had thoughtlessly tossed to the ground but froze when his eyes fell on something he wasn’t expecting to encounter.

There was a big black wolf a few feet away, staring right at him, watching his every fiber with keen, electric blue eyes. Renjun knew those eyes. If he thought that the wolf was beautiful under the light of the moon, its beauty was nothing compared to when it was basked in the vibrancy of the light that came from the sun.

The wolf was in the middle of the clearing, Renjun was kind of astonished how it even got there without him hearing the padded footfalls of its huge paws.

“Jeno?” Renjun braved himself and asked in a whisper. He wanted to be sure, heck it could be a normal wolf and it could be the cause of Renjun’s death if he made any sudden movements that were not pleasant to the animal.

The wolf’s sapphire eyes flashed like a crystal for a second, answering Renjun’s questions. He found himself anticipating it when the wolf took a tentative step towards him. When Renjun didn’t move from his sitting position, the big beast continued more confidently.

“Hi?” He blurted out when the wolf stopped right in front of him.

It was tall, he could finally confirm. The wolf’s head was at the level of Renjun’s abdomen if he was standing, and it was big, probably weighed more than two hundred pounds of magical flesh and bones and hair.

“What are you doing here?” Renjun asked again.

The wolf couldn’t answer him, obviously. And Renjun wasn’t sure if Jeno could understand him in this form, but he just kept the conversation going for the sake of it. He was also a little bit scared to move his limbs in case the wolf decided to eviscerate him for some reason.

He didn’t get an answer, but what he got was more than that. The wolf closed the distance between them and lowered its head, all the while not breaking any eye contact so Renjun was assured that he wasn’t doing it to bite him. The wolf nosed his hand that was resting on his knee and sniffed it.

Frowning, Renjun deliberately raised that particular hand and the wolf responded by rubbing it’s snout on his now exposed palm.

“Oh.” Renjun breathed, realizing something and feeling giddy from excitement and interest. “You want my hand?”

The wolf made a rumbling noise. Then, hesitantly, Renjun offered his hand to the other, not really taking initiative more than just letting his hand be suspended in the air between them. He waited for the lycan to move on its own.

Soon, the wolf touched his opened palm with its wet nose, sniffing, before nuzzling its muzzle on the hand. A grin slowly formed on Renjun’s lips. The wolf wanted him to pet its head.

Renjun was petting a big black wolf in the middle of the Preserve and he wished that he could capture it with his camera. It was so cool to pet a wolf. Jaemin would shit his pants if he saw Renjun right now.

“You’re like a dog.” He offhandedly commented.

The wolf growled at that but didn’t really remove its face on Renjun’s hand which made a bubble of giggle escaped from his lips.

“Okay. Not like a dog, then.”

Carefully, Renjun ran his hand on the wolf’s fur, feeling the softness of it brush the inside of his palm. The underlying heat from the beast’s body was comforting at best. Jeno in this form was like a giant furnace and Renjun liked it.

In fact, Jeno in his wolf form was a lot more pleasant than when he was in human form. He decided to voice that one out.

“You know, it’s kind of funny.” He murmured, unexpectedly feeling relaxed in the presence of a wild apex predator. “You’re a lot tamer in this form compared to when you are human.”

Ignoring Renjun, the wolf leaned in closer to sniff on him more, his chest, his shoulder, his neck. Renjun just let it be.

“Whoa- okay. Sniffing. Cool. Just no licking, okay?”

The wolf was probably getting familiar with his scent. As it just continued to let Renjun stroke up to its body within his reach, he found himself sporting a small smile. It was comforting. The black beast made a rumbling noise from its core, seeming like a hum or something, he didn’t know. But it didn’t sound threatening so Renjun wasn’t really bothered by it.

The wolf kept sniffing him, rubbing its face on his clothes and skin for a good few minutes before it stepped back, huffing and licking its teeth, satisfied with its actions. The wolf watched him, then it seemed to be unsatisfied again after taking a look at Renjun.

Before he knew it, with one swoop, the wolf had licked the side of his face and Renjun could only close his eyes in resignation because it happened unexpectedly.

“Ew, Jeno!” He exclaimed. “I thought I made it very clear that there would be no licking of faces or any body parts at all!” 

When he opened his eyes, there was a look of very humanly smug on the wolf’s expression and stance, however possible that was, at Renjun’s sour exclaims of disgust.

Lifting his hand, he wiped the saliva off of his face, rubbing it dry on his jeans as he glared at the four legged asshole in front of him.

“Bad dog!” He scoffed. At that, Jeno seemed to make the wolf version of an annoying chortle. God, Renjun hated Jeno in any form, let that go on record.

Before he could do anything, the wolf had already shoved him to the ground without prior notice. And to Renjun’s surprise, the midnight wolf had pinned him down with one of it’s huge paws as it towered over him from above.

The wolf should incite fright within Renjun, but right now, the wolf looked beautifully enchanting as the sun formed a halo on it. It was such a majestic animal, he couldn’t help but be awed.

“What are you doi-?” His asked in alarm a few seconds later. When the wolf’s eyes glinted with mischief, Renjun choked on nothing. “No, you wouldn’t.”

Jeno sent him a look that Renjun interpreted as  _ Yes. Yes, I would. _

The attempt to rebut the black wolf’s attack was futile. Soon, Renjun’s face and neck were wet with wolf saliva and he was laughing and screaming for the other to stop.

Because he was ticklish. And Jeno was disgusting.

“Stop! Stop! Oh my God, Jeno, you’re so gross. Stop grooming me!” Renjun turned his face to the side, hands covering it to deflect the overzealous tongue running amok and slobbering on his face.

“Okay! I get it. Enough, please. I get, okay? You’re not a dog. I’m sorry for calling you that. You’re the big bad wolf! I’m sorry!” The weight on top of him was gone in seconds.

Jeno the Big Bad Wolf looked so proud of his recent work, its nose upturned as it eyed Renjun’s slightly damp face with unbridled glee.

Narrowing his eyes, Renjun wiped his neck and face with the hem of his shirt because, of course, he forgot to bring a towel or handkerchief with him even if he prepared for this trip. Go figure.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he finally stood up and picked up his bag, slinging it on his shoulders in one swift movement. He tried fix his hair by running a hand through the strands off-handedly.

“Are you happy now, huh?”  _ You little shit. _ Jeno just continued to wag its tail overzealously.

Renjun scoffed but this time, it was only to hide the telltale sign of a smile on his lips. “Whatever. I have to go since I still gotta do something.” He brushed off the dirt from his pants. Then, he paused. “Do you want to come with?”

The wolf looked interested about the invitation for a moment, but its ears twitched, probably hearing something beyond’s Renjun’s very human capabilities, and it turned its head to the direction of the noise, whatever it was.

He watched the wolf’s face for a moment, memorizing the lines and edges as it listened. Then, the wolf turned to him, gently pushing him on his abdomen causing Renjun to stumble back towards the cleared path before it stepped back and huffed, nodding on the direction behind him.

“Alright. I’ll take that as a no, then.” Renjun shrugged. “I guess I’ll see you… whenever.”

He left the clearing with a wave of goodbye to Jeno, feeling relaxed and energized. For some reason, Renjun’s sore limbs didn’t feel so taut anymore, the ache visibly diminishing.

Behind him, Renjun could feel the wolf’s eyes as it watch him walk until he reached the cleared path before he heard the rustle and fading footfalls on the ground as the beast ran back to wherever it came from.

He grinned, elated and dazed. Renjun had finally found the perfect inspiration he needed to paint the exhibit’s art piece.

Looking at his watch, it said that it was a little past four in the afternoon, less than an hour to the closing of the Preserve. Not that the curfew was followed religiously since he knew, firsthand, that there were some risk takers _ (see: dumb teenagers) _ who still went to the Preserve at night.

But since there was no reason for him to be here anymore, he should get back home early. If he did, maybe he could make dinner for him and Mom since she was on the morning shift today. Renjun also didn’t really want to spend the night here. So, he started his way back, humming a mindless tune under his breath with a bounce in his step.

He was about to turn the corner when he heard rustles behind him and grinned.

“I knew you’d wanted to come-” Renjun’s smile died on his lips as soon as he turned and saw someone else. “You’re not J- my friend.” He almost dropped Jeno’s name but thought better of it. He wasn’t sure if he could just broadcast his affiliation with the other when the person he saw didn’t really look like a person.

The other was standing a few feet taller than Renjun, with his muscles completely ripped. But that wasn’t the thing that struck a fear within him. No.

It was because the other person was in  _ Beta shift. _ He had read about it before, during the night after he was attacked in the woods. A Beta shift was the form that most supernatural shapeshifters used when they didn’t want to assume their full form, if and when only they could.

The older man’s forehead was protruded and ridged. His face was surrounded with hair or fur, and he had mutton chops. The hands spread beside had their claws drawn, lethal and pointy. But his eyes.

The older man bore the same lapis lazuli like Jeno’s. However, those eyes didn’t look enticing to Renjun, no. Instead, it looked cold and merciless as they bore holes into his skull.

When Renjun took a tentative step back, the man obviously did not approve of that action as he immediately had his sharp fangs bared in a deep snarl, drool and all.

He had a manic look on his face, wild, mad with rage. The man didn’t look right to him. It was as if.

As if he was…

Renjun gasped. “... a feral.”

The man’s expression turned dim. “No. A werewolf.”

Instinctively, deep seated fear engulfed him like a tide. He had read stories about ferals, and heard enough from Jeno to know that they weren’t a bunch to be mess with.

It was just really Renjun’s luck that he would have an encounter with one when he wasn’t in the least physically fit for it. Or even mentally capable to handle it. Hell, he didn’t think anyone in their right mind would want to face a feral werewolf.

_ “You.” _ The werewolf bellowed, catching Renjun’s attention. The guttural voice sent a wave of chilling sensation down his spine. “Who are you? What do you want?”

“What?” Renjun was confused. Shouldn’t he be the one asking those questions? He frowned. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about. Are you mistaking me for someone else?”

“You’re a good liar. Your heart didn’t even made an uptick at the blatant words of untruthfulness. But I know the truth. I saw you last night. You had the audacity to come here again.” The werewolf growled deeply in his chest. 

“I’m sorry. I- I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” Renjun carefully raised his hand in an attempt to appease the werewolf, so he wouldn’t feel aggrieved. He felt his hands tremble but didn’t give it a care. “I was at home last night, I swear! My mom is Sheriff Huang. She was there! She knows.”

“How are you doing that?” The werewolf looked put off for a moment, staring directly at Renjun’s chest as if he could hear its loud beating. “I could hear that your heart is racing but I know I should still be able to recognize the uptick of it when you lie.”

However, though slightly bewildered, the man recovered quickly, lowering his stance, ready to pounce anytime. He was watching Renjun as if he was the dangerous one between the two of them, prudence evident in his eyes.

“I swear, I’m telling the truth, man.” Reanjun pleaded with wide eyes, the obvious desperation that he was feeling laced in his voice.

“You lie! I know what I saw. You were here last night. You… you even tried to stab me with a wolfsbane laced knife!” The werewolf roared and the ground seemed to shake because of it. Renjun couldn’t help the soft yelp that arose from deep within as a response to the powerful roar of the monster. “I’m going to  _ rip you to shreds, liar.” _

The werewolf kept insisting that he was in the Preserve last night, which, to Renjun, did not even make sense. He was sure that he was at home the night before. He had dinner with Mom, even had their weekly movie marathon. Then, he bid her goodnight and went to bed after watching  _ Zodiac  _ and  _ Fight Club  _ to get some proper shut eye.

The next thing he knew, he was waking up in his room!  _ In his room. _ How in the world could he have possibly gone to the Preserve last night?

His train of thoughts were halted when Renjun caught a glimpse of colorful clothes on his peripheral vision, right up ahead towards the cleared path that led to the entrance. It was the group of teenagers, unaware of what was happening just a few meters away from them.

The werewolf seemed to get distracted for a second with it too, hearing the boisterous laughter and Renjun had a split second decision of  _ running  _ for his life. Which was definitely not a good idea since he was not physically fit and the one he was up against with had enhanced speed due to his supernatural abilities.

But Renjun’s body had started to move on its own, dashing towards the uncleared path before he could even think about his huge disadvantage.

He didn’t dare go to the entrance where the unsuspecting teenagers were. He didn’t want them to get dragged into this and possibly get killed in the way.

Renjun found it funny. He was a teenager too. He deserved to be laughing annoyingly like that instead of getting chased by a fucking monster who was out for his blood.

Nevertheless, somehow, he still unconsciously wanted to save them.

God fucking dammit, his mother had raised him to be such a good child.

The werewolf bellowed after him but Renjun didn’t dare to look back in fear of finding out that the other would just be on his heels at an arm’s reach if he did. His heart was about to explode in his chest and his lungs were burning from over pumping oxygen, veins doused in adrenaline. But he forced his feet to  _ move  _ and  _ run. _

He was glad that he knew this part of Preserve well and if he go straight-

If he go straight… Renjun almost stopped in his tracks, mind catching up to his body because if he goes straight to the path where he was facing, he would reach a  _ stream. _

And on the other side of the stream was the part of the Preserve that was off-limits to the public. Because it was private property.

The land beyond the stream was the land that belonged to the Lee family.

Gulping, Renjun thought  _ fuck it  _ and gunned for the stream. Desperate times called for desperate measures. He figured that if the Lee’s found him in their land, they would probably also find the werewolf chasing after him.

Maybe, they would have a gun. He  _ hoped  _ they would have a gun. But he  _ hoped  _ it wouldn’t be him they were going to aim it to.

Beyond his reasoning a while ago, Renjun chanced a glance behind him and saw the werewolf whizzing past between the trees and running at him like a bullet. He whipped his head back to face the front and forced himself to run faster, rogue branches stealing cuts on his face and arms as Renjun moved with the wind, barely avoiding tripping in the process.

The werewolf was fast like he expected, but not as fast as he imagined. Probably because he was savoring the chase of the prey, being a predator and all. The fucking psycho.

Renjun was just glad that he had a headstart and knew the terrain more than the other man. It also seemed like the man didn’t know where they were headed, which was a good thing.

However, for every step that Renjun took, the other man was still gaining proximity and really enjoying the chase like a real fucking villain based on the maniacal laughter behind and the occassional insults thrown at him. Renjun was tiring. He almost slowed down and just gave in if not for the fact that he knew that they were closing in on the stream.

_ Just a few more steps, Renjun. Just a few more…  _ He chanted in his head as he breathed through his opened mouth, sweat trickling down his back like a fall. His legs hurt from the strain since he had been running at full speed from the get-go, not once letting a second of rest.

The sleep induced ache of his body from this morning returned at full force and hitting double. It was getting difficult to move.

Renjun wanted to cry right then and there, feeling really hopeless and alone. Will his body ever be found if he got murdered right now? He didn’t even know what the fuck this dude thought he did wrong. Going to the Preserve last night? That was bullshit! What was his proof other than “ _ seeing  _ ” Renjun, anyway?

He could feel as pinpricks of tears started to form in his eyes. He bit his lip to stop it from trembling and stubbornly wiped the wetness away from his face. He couldn’t cry. Not right now. Crying would only take away some of the energy left in his body and he needed that to fuel his legs for running. He refused to cry.

“Aww, is  _ Little Red  _ crying?” The werewolf taunted and the hair on Renjun’s body stood because he sounded  _ so close  _ . He felt his heart stuttered when the other laughed frantically. “I know you’re crying. I could smell the salty tang of tears all the way from here. I also know that you’re exhausted.”

Renjun ignored him and just kept running. One feet over the other.  _ One, two. One, two. _

He focused his mind on keeping a steady pace when he saw the clearing that shared the stream. So close.

“Do you know the term for which all creatures unconsciously release certain types of scents from their pores based off on their emotions? It would seem like a miniscule involuntary action of one’s body in response to the mind. Most of the time it’s not even noticed. But to us, it’s one of the key sources in which we get information from. Of course, you wouldn’t get it. Because only animals and shapeshifters with keen noses like us have the ability to smell and utilize them to our own advantages.” The werewolf continued to talk, voice frenzied from the lust of the chase, confident that he would get to Renjun whenever he wanted. “Do you know what it’s called?”

Renjun ignored him because he was finally near the stream. He could cross it in one leap.

But then he realized that he’d have to run blindly from then on since he would be in an unknown terrain. He inhaled deeply, he didn’t have the time to be hesitant since this was all he had for now.

Not even sure if the Lee’s house was anywhere near that part of the Preserve, Renjun took that leap, mercifully managing not to get his shoes wet.

Renjun’s knees buckled for a quick second at the jump and he knew then that he was nearing his limit. He needed something more to slow down the beast behind him. Or at least, hinder him for a few seconds so Renjun could get another head start. 

It definitely didn't help that this part of the terrain was an uphill which did not only slowed him down but also made the muscles on his legs scream from the strain as he struggled to cross it.

Renjun had already reached this far without so much as just the clothes on his back and his undeterred will.

He couldn’t give up now.

However strong-willed he was, his mind and body were two different entities that make up Renjun. Even if his mind was determined not to get caught, to keep pushing himself, to live; his body had a whole contrasting opinion. Renjun tried to run further but the werewolf behind him was getting tired of the boring chase they were in.

With a grunt, the werewolf caught Renjun when he tried to dodge a bulking tree root. Renjun immediately fell to the ground with a loud thud, letting out an abrupt shout at the sudden pain on his left rib cage. He landed badly on one of the tree roots he had tried to avoid and if he didn’t die from the man’s hands, he would probably die from internal bleeding or something.

The werewolf pinned him on his back with one of his knees, trapping him down and making it hard for him to breath through the immense pain burning his side and the weight above him.

Reflexively, Renjun tried to grapple away from the other even though he knew it was a lost cause. He couldn’t shake the other from his back. Tears collected at the corners of his eyes from the mind-numbing sensation of his entire body screaming from over-exertion and pain.

“Stop struggling. It’s hopeless.” The werewolf lowered his face so he could hiss the words through his fangs beside Renjun’s ear. He closed his eyes so he wouldn’t see the other, feeling the ground under his palms. He slowly closed his fist, relatively trying to prevent his heart from breaking out.

“Answer my question!” The werewolf grabbed a fistful of Renjun’s hair and pulled his face up. He yelped. The werewolf wasn’t even making any sense to Renjun anymore. Why couldn’t he just get on with the killing already instead of torturing him? Wasn’t that what he wanted?

The grip on his hair tightened when Renjun stubbornly kept his mouth shut. “Fine. I’ll give you the answer then. It’s called  _ chemosignals. _ And the smell of your fear was filling the air.”

The werewolf placed his free hand on Renjun’s bare neck. A spike of fear struck his insides and spread like black ink to clear water as he felt those sharp claws pressed insistently on the supple skin near where his pulse was beating rapidly.

The feral werewolf’s hand lifted and prepared to swing down, to take that lethal slash. Renjun clenched his fist tightly, then, he closed his eyes, waiting for that fleeting moment to arrive.

*

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh*
> 
> This was supposed to be a one shot but it got so long that I decided to split it in two chapters for it to be digested easily.
> 
> If you have any questions, you can ask them in the comments section or in my cc/twt! I'll answer them as much as I can without spoiling anything.
> 
> How was it? :D
> 
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/hrjflairs) | [twt](https://twitter.com/cosmicflairs)


	2. Chapter 2

Just when the werewolf’s attention was zoned in on the faintly visible veins of his neck, Renjun quickly took that opportunity to lift his fist. And threw the soil in his grasp on the other’s face, effectively giving the other temporary blindness.

These supernatural creatures may have fast regenerative abilities, but Renjun knew that they were just like any other creature that walked the earth and a hindered sight would have the same effect on them just as much as anyone.

“Smell that organic soil in your face, dumbass!” Renjun spat out like a battle cry.

The reaction was immediate, the werewolf recoiled from him, letting out a roar of agony as he tried to figure out how to remove the miniscule rocks from his eyes without lacerating himself with his own claws.

Renjun rolled to his side when the other stumbled back, blindly yelling curses at him. He quickly got up on his feet to stagger into starting another run.

He supposed the other could turn back to his human form, but that would only give Renjun the advantage of time. That or he was far too feral to think about anything besides his rage at the moment. Like going to the running stream behind them to wash away the soil from his eyes.

However, that wasn’t Renjun’s problem anymore and he focused on running. It was more difficult this time. He was slower than before because now, the area around his left rib cage hurt like a bitch whenever it gets jostled. He pressed on it, trying to contain the movement somehow, hoping that nothing was actually broken; otherwise, a loose bone could potentially puncture one of his organs.

“You little bitch!” The werewolf bellowed behind, sounding more monstrous than before. “You think you could outrun me?  _ Me _ ? I could still hear you. I could still smell you. I’m going to fucking kill you.”

But before he could even ponder or make a retort of some sort, the Preserve quaked with a deafening roar and Renjun’s entire body instinctively stilled at the sheer power of it.

The roar was so thunderous that the birds and other animals were clearing away from the area, the trees almost bending in obeisance at the dominating power that was exerted in it.

Renjun  _ knew _ it wasn’t the roar of the werewolf that was chasing him. He had heard the other roar before, and it wasn’t even half as terrifying and petrifying as this one.

Soon, three figures appeared from behind the trees near the top of the uphill. Atop were two huge wolves followed by another lycan. The biggest wolf had fur like the snow and gravel combined, standing majestically in the middle of the two, red eyes gleaming authority. The lycan on the left was a young teen who was on beta shift, his fangs were out and his claws were drawn as he stood on two feet, stance crouching as if he was ready for a fight. His hair reminded Renjun of summer, and he saw for a brief second a flash of golden eyes before it turned into a normal hazelnut.

But the wolf on the right was someone familiar with Renjun. He had never been so glad to see those electric blue eyes and fur as dark as midnight in his life until this moment.

The black wolf was more furious compared to the other two, its fangs bared. But it didn’t move, instead, the wolf with the red eyes in the middle took the lead, gracefully sauntering over the werewolf who had given chase to Renjun.

Based on what he could remember from his research, Renjun realized that the ash furred wolf was what they call an Alpha of the pack, the maple red in its eyes was an indication of its status in the hierarchy.

The sandy brown haired teen and Jeno stayed behind, letting their Alpha deal with the feral werewolf but also staying alert in case they were needed.

“You’re not my Alpha.” The werewolf said through gritted teeth as his entire body twitch, as if it was taking all of his energy  _ not _ to submit at the mere presence of the huge snow and gravel wolf before him. The werewolf defiantly bared its fangs to the Alpha. 

The blatant show of disrespect seemed to raise the hackles of the three lycans and he could only watch in fascination and horror when the Alpha stood before the kneeling feral werewolf, and roared. He felt another set of chills ran down his spine, witnessing such primal way of making someone yield to one’s authority.

The werewolf could do nothing at the direct order but bare its neck to the Alpha, an act of total submission.

“I told you all to wait up!” Another voice came from behind the other two wolves and soon, a tall familiar male was rushing through the woods, holding a bunch of clothes in his embrace and breathing heavily. “How many times do I have to remind your furry asses not to rush into danger? Jesus, Yeeun! You just left your clothes and transformed all of a sudden.”

Renjun was a little stumped at the nonchalant entrance of the tall male who was scowling at the Alpha. But what he was more surprised about was that he  _ knew _ the person standing in the uphill, nagging at the ash coloured wolf.

The new male was none other than Wilhemville’s local veterinarian. Johnny Seo. Who he now knew,  _ literally ran with the wolves. _

The scene before him was proving to be far more interesting yet equally stumping as he had thought.

To Renjun’s even more surprise (really, today was just turning out to be a whole ride into the unknown, just when he thought that nothing could surprise him anymore, a new shit would pop up), the young vet dropped some clothes into a clean pile on the floor between the other the Jeno and the other lycan. After doing so, he sauntered forward to stand beside the Alpha.

“Warn a man, next time, okay?” Johnny grumbled at Yeeun the Alpha before turning to the werewolf. Johnny a frowned, observing the feral with a tilt in his head. “This was the one wrecking havoc a while ago?”

Dr. Seo seemed to know the answer to his own question already as he didn’t wait for anyone to say something.

Renjun curiously watched the other male as he stuck his hand into his pocket and procured a small vial that contained some black powder or sand, he couldn’t identify clearly from the distance. But he confirmed what the sandy substance was when Dr. Seo opened the vial and threw the contents in the air, just a few feet above the feral werewolf’s head.

To Renjun’s fascination, the mysterious black sand sparkled like little crystals in the air. Initially scattered, the black sand quickly formed in the shape of a circle ring before it firmly dropped around the feral werewolf like some sort of barrier.

It probably was a magical barrier considering that as soon as it dropped, the werewolf inside looked even more frantic as he tried to shove his way out of the circle, but failed miserably as he hit an invisible wall.

“Let me out!” The werewolf yelled but his words fell on deaf ears.

Johnny rolled his eyes. “We will, don’t worry. We would just like to ask a few questions first-” His words were halted when his eyes casually landed on Renjun who was still standing on the same spot, watching the scene like an idiot. Johnny blinked. “Oh, hi? Anyone wanna tell me why the Sheriff’s kid is here?” He looked around before sighing when no one answered, exasperated as he massaged the bridge of his nose. “Why does no one ever tell me anything at all in this goddamn pack when I’m the emissary?”

Renjun was about to give his answer when the feral werewolf had beaten him to it, as if remembering that Renjun was  _ still _ there, glaring at him. Suddenly, all attention was on the werewolf again.

“_That_ _kid_ attacked me out of nowhere and almost killed me last night.” The werewolf growled. “I was just passing through Wilhemville to get to Fairview Hills when that kid showed up in the middle of the road and asked if he could get a hitch.”

Which, what? Did Renjun hear that right? Who attacked who now? He was the one hurting all over his body, he should be the one being all growl-y and bitchy right now.

The werewolf continued. “I don’t know how he was able to conceal the scent but as soon as we were driving, he suddenly stabbed me with a wolfsbane laced knife. I dodged it and was only grazed a little. But he ran to the woods and said that if I wanted to get even, I should be able to find him there. So, I staked him out. And found him walking leisurely today.” He glared at Johnny and spat on the ground. “His head is mine.”

Renjun scoffed at the story, not believing it one bit. He knew that he was with his mother all night, there was no reason for him to leave the house when he had plans the next day. He took a step forward, a little bit surprised that he could.

“Uhm, excuse me.” Renjun called for attention, slightly flinching at the pain that shot up on his injured side when he moved. But he sucked that up and cleared his throat when all attention was back on him. “I told you this already, I was at home last night with my mom. I wasn’t the one who tried to hurt you.” He winced and waved his free hand towards the werewolf’s eyes. “Well, except for just a while ago when I attacked and tried to blind you with soil. I admit to that. But in my defense, you were going to slit my throat with your really, really sharp claws for something I didn’t do.”

“Lies!” The werewolf had a frantic look in his eyes when he turned to the Alpha. “He’s lying, I know that! I know his face. I’ve seen him clearly last night. It was him!”

For a second no one spoke, and for the first time, the Alpha’s eyes were on Renjun, calculating.

Then, without any warning, the Alpha shifted back to its human form and where once the big ash wolf stood was now a naked woman, younger than Renjun had thought the Alpha would be, with straight dark hair cut before her shoulders. Johnny only sighed and handed the girl her clothes, which turned out to be a short dress.

“Seriously, Yeeun. I kept reminding you not to do that in front of strangers. Especially minors.” Johnny was looking at Yeeun’s face with frustration in his eyes, unbothered by the nakedness in front of him.

“I-I’m 18, don’t worry.” Renjun piped up, didn’t know where to look so he settled his eyes on the trees above him.

Chuckling, Yeeun put the dress on wordlessly, taking her time. When she was finished, she turned to Renjun with a- dare he say it-  _ wolfish _ grin.

“Hey. You must be Renjun if you’re the Sheriff’s kid, am I right?” Renjun only nodded because the woman was acting like she wasn’t just naked a few seconds ago.

He looked at Johnny, uncertain, but the other only shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms in his chest as he stood behind the petite woman, looking interested in Renjun as well.

If Renjun didn’t witness how Yeeun had transformed from the big ash wolf, looking at the two’s size difference, one would assume that Johnny was the Alpha and Yeeun was the… what did Johnny call himself again?  _ Emissary _ ? Renjun would have to look that one up after he got home.  _ If _ he could get home in one piece. 

“Uh, yeah.” He answered for clarification. “I’m Renjun Huang. I’m sorry, I didn’t really catch your name. Who are you?”

Renjun thought he’d ask properly for caution. Yeeun beckoned him to come closer with a hand, and he hesitated for a moment, glancing at the werewolf who seemed really out of loop at what’s happening in front of him (dude, same) but deeming it safe so he just moved forward to stand on the Alpha’s side.

“I’m Yeeun Lee.” She offered her hand and Renjun accepted it, receiving a firm shake. “I’m the Lee pack’s current Alpha.”

“I kinda figured that out.” He said, kind of taken aback because the woman was really pretty up close. She had a feline set of cheekiness to her features, which was hilarious thinking about how she’s a lycan and an Alpha at that.

“Really? Oh, right, the red eyes.” She gestured her eyes with a smile. Then, she spared a glance at the werewolf in the invisible cage before turning her attention back to him, looking serious and sharp, eyes piercing. “So, is it true?”

“W-what is?” Renjun suddenly nervous under the scrutiny of the Alpha.

“What he said about you? That you stabbed him with a wolfsbane laced knife last night after showing you nothing but kindness?”

Renjun licked his lips. “I already told you and him, I don’t know what he was talking about. If someone really did that to him,” He turned to look at the feral werewolf, locking eyes with the red-rimmed stare of the other. “It’s not me.”

“But he said he saw you and was certain that it was you.” Johnny intercepted the interrogation, speaking out.

“Look.” Renjun sighed turning to Yeeun, getting frustrated at answering the same questions over and over again. “If it was me, I would’ve remembered it. I know you could tell if I was lying or not. I didn’t stab him. Now, did I lie about that?”

“No.” Yeeun stared at him for a long moment before releasing a sigh, looking aged. “No, you definitely weren’t. Though, he wasn’t lying too, you know.” Then, the woman crossed her arms, a thoughtful frown was set on her brows. “But he’s feral. I should make him shift back to his human form first. Maybe, he’d remember the events more clearly if he has a better grip on himself and his wolf.”

Renjun suddenly felt a bit of sympathy for the other ignite inside of him. If the feral werewolf was on the verge of losing himself to insanity, then it should factor in when they werewolf jail him or something. It was just the fair way to do it.

“I think you should worry about yourself more.” Yeeun snapped Renjun out of his reverie, looking at him with a newfound interest. “You’ve met my brother, right? Considering you reek of him.”

Yeeun tilted her head to the side with a smirk. Renjun turned and saw a now human Jeno (who was wearing jeans fucking thank God for that. Renjun didn’t really think he could handle anymore beautiful nakedness in front of right now. Seriously, fuck his bisexuality.) who was jogging down to them as he was quickly putting on his shirt, followed by the teen with brown colored hair who was previously in his beta shift. He was now also in his human form, walking leisurely behind Jeno. Renjun didn’t recognize him but he was sure that the other was part of the Lee pack.

“What is with you siblings and nudity?” Johnny offhandedly muttered which earned him a hard backhanded slap on his arm from Yeeun. It looked really painful. Lycans and their super strength, Renjun could only wince in sympathy since he was once a subject of that. “Ow, shit. Careful with the hand, lady.”

“Shut the fuck up, Johnny. As if you don’t enjoy it.”

“I don’t.” Johnny muttered.

“That’s a lie.” Yeeun said smugly. That only earned a roll of eyes from the young vet.

“Renjun, you alright?” Jeno asked as soon as he stopped beside him. He was fully clothed this time, Renjun silently praised the heavens. Jeno’s brows were furrowed and he looked a little angry.

Seeing a familiar face, Renjun felt a surge of relief wash over him as if the string that was suffocating him a while ago had finally snapped from being pulled taut.

The knots of fear and anxiety were miraculously loosened along with the release of adrenaline that fuelled his escape, making him feel how utterly wrecked and exhausted his body truly was. He was dizzy with pain all over and Jeno seemed to sense that because as soon as Renjun swayed, the other was quick to catch him in his arms.

“I’m feeling really peachy but other than the multiple aching muscles, a possible broken rib and a few scratches. I think I’m good.” Renjun tried to joke but failed miserably when he couldn’t even move his limbs anymore, fatigue catching up to him.

“Don’t worry, I got you.” Jeno adjusted his body so one of Renjun’s arms was slung over the other’s shoulders and his body was balanced by the other’s arm on his waist.

Unfortunately, his left side was jostled by the movement. Renjun found himself hissing with the pain, reflexively curling on himself. Jeno looked worried for a second before he unsolicitedly slipped his hand under Renjun’s shirt without a word.

The hand came as a surprise to Renjun. It covered his side securely, big and placating, which had him feeling a little flustered.

“Hey, I’m injured not dumb. What’s with the hanky panky?” Renjun tried to swat Jeno’s hand away, unconsciously blushing, which was really inappropriate right now. Jesus, Renjun get your priorities right.

“Shut up. I’m trying to take the pain away. Can’t you just let me do it?” Jeno growled and gently pressed on his injured side again, his palm feverish on Renjun’s sweat drenched skin.

Soon, he saw blackened veins appear on the hand that was nursing his side, and Renjun felt the pain started to trickle away from his body. Shocked, he had no words but to turn to the other with wide eyes because holy shit. It was like Jeno was taking his pain away from him.

“Dude…” Renjun started, feeling really drugged at the diminishing pain. “You’re like a vacuum for pain. That’s awesome.”

He heard Yeeun laugh cheerfully beside him. Renjun sent her a woozy, appreciative smile for laughing at his joke.

“You look really fucked up, kid.” Yeeun clucked her tongue before turning to Jeno. “Hey, dingus, you should bring your boyfriend back to the house and have Donghyuck take care of his injuries.”

“Not my boyfriend.” Jeno grumbled but was already guiding-slash-carrying all of Renjun to the other side of the uphill. “I was already gonna take him back, anyway. Do you really expect me to just leave him here?”

Yeeun lifted a hand and gestured to Jeno’s entirety. “With all your teen angst and brooding? Yeah.”

“Just finish that quickly and come back soon.” Jeno snapped before turning to the other lycan with the brown hair. “Jisung, you’re gonna stay with her?”

“Yeah.” Jisung simply answered with a nod. “Just go. I think that one’s losing consciousness.”

Jeno left with Renjun after that trying to keep him on his feet but it was really getting hard for him to support himself. He was a little bit sorry to Jeno for that, but Renjun had been through a fucking lot today.

“You don’t know who you’re taking in, Alpha. You’re making a big mistake.” The werewolf sneered at them and hit the invisible barrier as if he could break through it when he obviously couldn’t.

He heard Yeeun answered brightly. “Oh hey! You’re still there. Gosh, I swear I totally forgot about you. Sorry, about that. You were saying?”

Renjun officially loved that woman, he decided before passing out on Jeno.

*

Renjun woke up with a start to a room he didn’t recognize.

The walls had a bluish wallpaper which was a stark contrast to his own room’s pale yellow paint. The bed he was lying in was far too big than what he had at home. When he turned his head to look on his right, there was also a floor to ceiling glass window (or was it a wall?) that faced the forest green that was now shrouded with darkness in the absence of the sun.

The room was modern and beautiful. Which was the reason why Renjun knew that he wasn’t in his room at home.

Anxiety and fear settled in his mind, causing his slightly lethargic self to spring up from the bed to get a better look of his surroundings, all the while also checking himself for ropes or cuffs in case he was tied up.

He wasn’t. Renjun could breathe a little more after that.

Even though he still had no recollection of how he ended up in a room that looked like it came out of a lifestyle magazine, he felt himself relaxing enough to notice that the room looked pretty lived in.

There was a jacket haphazardly hanging from a divan and an open book on the small table that faced the floor to ceiling glass wall. Seemed like someone was reading the book just a while ago and left before Renjun woke up.

There were two doors in the room and he figured that the other was either a closet, or a personal bathroom. He should really try to figure out where the hell he was but Renjun got stuck pondering about what kind of room was behind one of the doors instead of doing so.

When the door on his left opened and Renjun saw Jeno stepped foot inside the room, looking unfairly good for Renjun’s sleep addled mind with just a simple white shirt and jeans, his feet bare on the carpet, his lips parted as everything finally clicked and came back to him all at once. 

Jeno just sauntered nonchalantly over and sat at the end of the bed. Seeing the other looking so at home and soft, Renjun became a little bit more awake than before.

“How are you feeling?” Jeno asked after a while of silence. 

He was a little awkward at best but Jeno at least tried to show his concern even though he looked a little constipated before he had done so. Probably never used to showing emotions in front of others.

Renjun let out a snort. “I’ve been a lot worse. I’m honestly feeling no pain at all, now that I think about it.”

Properly checking on himself for the first time ever since he had opened his eyes a while ago, Renjun could see that his arms were littered with small cuts that had been cleaned. They were probably from the rogue branches that hit him while he was running. He looked like a kindergartner’s art piece.

Belatedly, he noticed that he was also wearing a new shirt, a little bit bigger for his size, and cotton pants.

Which could be Jeno’s.

The thought had him feeling blood rush on his cheeks. But he easily tamped the idea down because  _ duh _ , he now knew wolves could smell emotions.

He didn’t want Jeno to smell his itty bitty crush on him.

“Yeah, about the clothes.” Jeno coughed and stood up to pick up the pitcher of water on the bedside table and poured some on the glass. “I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty of changing you out of them since they were filthy. We threw them in the wash and dry. It should be ready after dinner. Drink up.” Then, he handed Renjun the drink once the glass was filled and procured a medicine from the pocket of his jeans.

“Thank you.” Renjun accepted it, it was an Ibuprofen. He obediently took the tablet and downed the glass of water in his hand as Jeno watched him. “Seriously, Jeno. Thank you.”

“Thank Yeeun. I wasn’t even the one who saved you. It’s nothing.” The other shook his head, suddenly looking exhausted. “What were you even thinking, trying to outrun a werewolf?”

Jeno frowned disapprovingly. He took the glass from Renjun when he was done with it and placed it back on the table before moving to sit at the end of the bed again. Renjun pouted and hugged his knees above the blanket over them.

“I wasn’t. I don’t know. It was all instinct. I didn’t even realize that I was running until a few seconds later. It all happened so fast.”

For some reason, Renjun didn’t feel like sharing the fact that part of the reason why he ran away from the werewolf was to lure the other away from the teenagers. He didn’t want Jeno to scold him even more for trying to be heroic. The other would probably laugh at his face.

“You’re going to die one day because of your recklessness.”

“Yeah, no shit.” Renjun muttered, eyes downcast. He didn’t really need to be reminded of what he already knew.

Picking at the invisible lints on the blanket and feeling rather aggrieved that he was getting scolded after the physical and mental trauma that he just went through, Renjun just stayed quiet and let Jeno do the talking.

“No, Renjun, don’t give me that.” Jeno rubbed his hands on his face. “You are so lucky that we were near where you were otherwise you would really be dead by now. Do you understand that?”

“Of course, I do! I was the one who was chased by a fucking werewolf. You really think I don’t understand the gravity of the situation? I was terrified, Jeno.” Renjun’s voice shook, the weight of his emotions bursting out of him like a dam. “I wasn’t even sure if I could find help when I crossed the boundary stream that divided the Preserve. I didn’t even know that the Lee’s were supernaturals. I was desperate and I found hope in the thought that there would be some kind of help from the people in the Lee property. Even though I didn’t know which part of it was lived in since it was such a huge place. I was literally riding my luck out there for my life. So, don’t question my understanding of my own situation. Because I know it better than anyone. I’ve lived it.”

They were silent for a moment after that, Renjun sniffing and stubbornly wiping the unshed tears in his eyes that he didn’t even realize were there until his vision was blurred.

He was mad at himself for being so weak in the face of danger. He did what he could to survive but in all honesty, if the wolves hadn’t arrive, Renjun knew that he would definitely be dead by now. He  _ knew _ that. And he was so glad that he was alive. He had Yeeun, Jisung and Jeno to grateful for. Which he was.

But Renjun’s emotions were a mess right now, all of it falling down on him blow after blow.

“I’m sorry.” He heard Jeno quietly said. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. I know it’s not your fault and you’re not wrong for feeling scared. I was just… worried for you. If we had arrived a few seconds later, it would be a whole lot of different scene.”

Renjun looked at Jeno who was staring back at him, eyes sincere and softened. The other’s face was clear, looking genuinely concerned for him and he felt glad to know that Jeno wasn’t trying to dismiss his experience.

“I’m sorry, too. For snapping at you like that. I’m feeling really weird right now because everything is just coming down on me all at once like fucking boulders on a mountain.” He heaved a deep breath, then managed to form a small grin. “But I’m thankful to you and your pack for coming to my rescue. It was really cool to be saved by a bunch of wolves while trying to outrun one. Not a lot of people could say that they have experienced the same thing.”

Jeno’s lips quirked for a shadow of a smile. “You’re an idiot.” He muttered. But it was a bark with no bite, that Renjun was sure of. “I can’t fucking believe you outran a werewolf. Jesus Christ.”

At the implied compliment, Renjun visibly perked up. His grin widened. “Yeah? I’m smart, aren’t I? He didn’t seem to know the Preserve as much as I do. Brute force ain't nothing without wit.”

“Don’t let it get to your head. It might explode. I don’t want brains on my bed sheets.” Jeno raised an eyebrow, obviously  _ not _ judging him and instead  _ admiring  _ Renjun’s winning capabilities.

Or so Renjun liked to believe.

“Well, duh, no can do.” Renjun stuck his tongue out at the other. “Like I said, I’m one of a kind. Not a lot of humans- very nimble, very fragile humans like me, could say that they had a running marathon to death with a werewolf and managed to survive.”

Renjun found himself enjoying the other’s company for the light banter and the fact that Jeno had a hint of a smile on his lips. He counted that as a win. There was victory in small miracles, after all.

“I’m glad you’re alive.” Jeno blurted out.

Though, as soon as the words had left Jeno’s lips, he looked like he would rather eat a used sock than remember what he had just said. Renjun was surprised as much as he was, staring at the other with wide eyes as something blossomed in the pit of his stomach without his permission.

Cheeks flushed cherry, Renjun found himself gripping the blanket under his palm and hugging his knees closer to his chest. He turned his gaze to the lush, green trees that presented itself in a spread outside the glass wall, deeming it interesting at the moment.

“Yeah. Me too.” Renjun replied, feeling his ears heat up remembering that he was in Jeno’s room. On Jeno’s bed. In Jeno’s clothes. He cleared his throat and changed the subject. “How long was I out, anyway?”

“Just a few hours.” 

“What? Shit.” Renjun cursed and looked around him like a headless chicken. “Where’s my phone? I need to call my mom, I told her I’d be home for dinner. What time is it, exactly?”

“It’s almost 8 PM-”

“8 PM?! If I don’t call her right now she might send out the entire police department to look for me-”

“Calm down. Your phone’s here.” Jeno stood up to walk towards the desk and picked up Renjun’s phone, plugging it off the charger. “I charged it since it was dead and figured you’d need it to call someone when you wake up. Here.”

Renjun practically snatched the phone away from Jeno’s hands with a mutter of thanks and was mortified to see two missed calls from Mom. There was also calls from his friends which he completely ignored for returning one of Mom’s calls.

Biting his lips, Renjun really hoped that his mother wasn’t freaking out right now. The other line picked up immediately as expected.

_ “Renjun Huang.” _ His mother greeted him with her cop voice as she called his entire name, making Renjun winced because his mother calling him by his full name was never a good thing.  _ “Where the hell are you?” _

“Mom, I’m fine.” He appeased her before she could even start nagging at him. Which would be embarrassing because there was a wolf in the vicinity who he knew could hear the entire conversation perfectly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t call. My phone died on me but I’m perfectly fine! I’m at a friend’s house.”

_ “Which friend? I called all of your friends, Renjun. None of them knew where you were.” _ He could only flinch at the sternness in her voice, knew exactly that his mother had her eyes narrowed right now. Renjun looked at Jeno helplessly for a quick second, as if the other could help him escape Mom’s wrath.

“A n-new friend. His name is Jeno. I’m actually at the Lee’s right now.”

Mom quieted at that, seemingly surprised at the revelation.  _ “The Lee’s? As in the people who live in the Preserve? What the hell are you doing there for?” _

“Yeah. I told you. I’m at a friend’s.”

_ “Huh.” _ His mother said.  _ “Well, do you plan on coming home soon? Because I’m not going to eat all of the carbonara here myself.” _

“I’ll be home soon, Mom. I’m about to leave anyway.”

_ “Do you need me to pick you up?” _

Renjun shook his head then remembered that he was on the phone with his mother and she couldn’t see him.

“Mom, there’s no need for that. I’ll be fine.”

_ “Okay, son. See you at home.” _

The call ended soon after that. Plopping back on the bed and closing his eyes, Renjun felt as evident exhaustion weigh him down again.

He needed to tell his mom about what happened today.

Covering his face with his hands, he took a few calming breaths. He didn’t know how much he could tell her without breaking his promise with Jeno, but he needed to do it tonight because the cuts and bruises all over his body weren’t going to explain themselves for him. He knew that his mom would not believe him if he said that it was just from a fall.

“Jeno, I have to tell her what happened today.” Renjun started, face still buried in his palms, words a little miffed. “I’m sorry but I really need to.”

“I understand.” Jeno said and the bed dipped near Renjun’s feet. “You can tell your mom. In fact, you can tell her everything. It’s okay.”

Frowning, Renjun removed his hands away from his face to look at Jeno. “Are you sure? I mean, it’s cool that I could tell her. But you were adamant before that I tell nobody about you.”

Jeno subtly flinched at that and Renjun was left to wonder for a second what the other’s reason for wanting his identity to stay hidden.

“Yeah, it’s alright. It’s not like we’re hiding it. I mean, it’s not broadcasted sure, but some people knew. I didn’t know your mom is the Sheriff. That was why I said to keep it a secret. Anyway, she and Yeeun ought to have a conversation about us someday.” Jeno pursed his lips. “Your mom probably knew about us but we still wanted to talk to her on behalf of all the supernatural beings living in Wilhemville.”

Renjun sat up at that, astounded at the fact that there seemed to be a lot more supes in Wilhemville than he imagined. Well, there was that old man who was a druid two streets away from his house but that was about the extent of his knowledge on who was what.

“There’s a whole community of supernaturals in Wilhemville?” He asked dumbly, feeling suddenly incredulous.

“Yes.” Jeno answered with a shrug. “But we don’t broadcast it, like I said. For our own safety. There are people who still believe our kind was an abomination. And they would do anything to get rid of us.” The lycan’s expression fell grimm at that, seemingly reminded of an unwanted memory from the past. Inhaling sharply, Jeno set his eyes on Renjun’s, firm and resolute. “But most of the people in Wilhemville had been nothing but accepting so far. Well, except for-”

“Hunters.” Renjun dropped, knowing the term from his extensive research. “I’ve read about them.”

Nodding, Jeno stood up. “Yes. Hunters.” He said with distaste, like it was even hard for him to even let the word out of his mouth. But then, he sighed. “They’re not all that bad because they live by the New Code.  _ Only hunt those who hunt the innocents _ . But some of them still follows the orthodox way of hunting. Sometimes I wonder who the real monsters were.”

Renjun opened his mouth to say something to chase away the bitterness and hurt underlying Jeno’s disconcerting tone but the other turned away, and the words died in his throat. Jeno’s shoulders were knotted for a few seconds before they slowly released its tension.

Right now, he was certain that there was bad blood from the past between the two forces that Jeno did not feel the need to share with him. Renjun understood that perfectly so instead of trying to comfort Jeno, he just let the other be for a few seconds and stayed quiet.

There was a knock on the door that caught their attention before it cracked open to reveal Yeeun who was looking far too bright at the heavy atmosphere in the room.

“Hey, lovebirds.” She greeted and Renjun almost choked on air. Yeeun caught that and her smile grew wider. “Dinner is ready but if Renjun want to go home first, I could give you a ride home.”

“You don’t have to. I’ll do it.” Jeno offered, dismissing his sister with a frown. Yeeun only rolled her eyes at that and stepped foot inside the room, leaving the door wide open.

“Stay down, Jeno. No one’s going to take your little boyfriend away from you.” Yeeun turned her attention to Renjun completely putting a stop to Jeno’s unspoken protests, which had Jeno scowling like a child. “So which is it? You wanna have dinner here first or do you wanna go home now?”

“I’d love to stay but I already told my mom that I’ll be home for dinner. Sorry.” Renjun didn’t have to think twice before answering since he already knew what he wanted. It was such a shame, though. He kind of wanted to stay because the Lee’s seemed like a chill and interesting bunch. But he also didn’t want to overstay his welcome here.

“That’s going to disappoint the other pack members. They really looked forward to meeting you, you know?” Yeeun looked genuinely disappointed at his decision. But then she smiled brightly. “Well, there’s always a next time, anyway. Shall we go?”

Renjun looked hesitantly between the two then down at his clothes. “Uhm. My clothes-”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ll have Jeno give it to you tomorrow since it’s still in the machine. You can wear Jeno’s clothes home.” Yeeun seemed to realize his dilemma then she took a few strides to clasp her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. “If you’re worried about Sheriff Huang, I’ll talk to her. I need to anyway. That’s why I offered to take you home.”

At that, Renjun gave her an appreciative small smile. “Thanks, Yeeun.”

“No worries. I’ll wait for you downstairs.” Yeeun said with a wink. She then straightened up and walked back to the door, humming a tune.

“Your sister seems really nice.” Renjun said.

Jeno scoffed at that, shrugging a jacket on. “Nice, my ass. She’s annoying. Try living with that for a few days, you’d want to get rid of her soon.”

“I wouldn’t know that. I’m an only child.”

Jeno looked at him as if Renjun had the world in his palms, awed. “God, now,  _ that _ must have been nice. Want to trade lives?”

Renjun laughed at Jeno because he knew the other was just kidding. It must be nice having a sister. Or living with a big family where all of you get along. Being in a pack was like having pieces of yourself with someone, he’d read somewhere.

Jeno’s pack must be extremely tight knit, being family and pack at the same time.

Unfortunately, he wouldn’t know, he wasn’t part of a pack and his only family was his mother. His deadbeat father had left them when he was just a child, never to be seen again. His mother had raised him all on her own and Renjun was proud of her for that. He  _ loved _ her for that. Never in his life had he felt that he was unloved or alone. His mother made sure that he knew that.

Renjun was content with it. But seeing Jeno’s family, he kind of saw the appeal of a big family.

Jeno placed a pair of sneakers and socks on the floor with a thud and Renjun removed the blanket off of himself to wear it.

“These aren’t my shoes…”

“Your shoes are soggy and dirty. Borrow mine or walk bare feet. I don’t care.”

Renjun pouted but figured it didn’t really matter. He was already wearing the other’s clothes anyway. What’s one more item of Jeno’s on him?

“You really want to trade? I’m down with that. I get to be a fucking wolf. That’s like… the coolest thing ever.” He muttered while tying the laces of the shoes.They were nice shoes, he wondered briefly if Jeno would be willing to give them to him for free but immediately killed that thought. He was  _ not  _ that kind of friend.

“It’s not that great.”

“Yeah, says the one who could shapeshift into a wolf and has super senses.”

When he was finished, Renjun stood up, picking up his rucksack on the floor but Jeno had beaten him to it, carrying it for him and shutting his protests down with a glare.

If Jeno wanted to carry his bag then that’s also fine with Renjun. He ended up shrugging to let the other do what he wanted.

“Being human is the worst. I’d sell one of my organs to be in your shoes.” Renjun commented.

“You’re already in my shoes.” Jeno said with a quirk on his lips.

Renjun fake a gasp, turning to the other with wide eyes. “You made a joke. The world is so ending tomorrow.”

Jeno rolled his eyes but Renjun saw the smile on his lips. “Just walk. It’s bad to make the Sheriff wait.”

Grinning, he obediently complied and let Jeno lead him out of the room. Seeing Jeno make expressions other than his usual scowl and frown gave Renjun a sense of triumph in his attempts to befriend the lycan.

When they went downstairs, Renjun didn’t see much of Jeno’s family since Yeeun practically hauled them both inside her silver luxury car, throwing Jeno a suspicious look before shrugging and pressing on the accelerator to peel off the driveway and onto the road.

The ride to his house was filled with small talks and the two siblings’ occasional banters. Feeling safe, Renjun listened to the two and contributed to the conversation when he was asked a question.

All in all, it wasn’t as uncomfortable as Renjun expected it to be, considering he was with two of the most gorgeous people he had seen in his life. Which he had both seen naked, by the way. It was kind of a weird situation for him initially.

But being born in a family of lycans, Renjun guessed that the two had long since stopped caring about nudity and self-preservation.

He was pretty sure the two were trying to make him feel relaxed by asking him normal questions about school - since Jeno would eventually attend it in the upcoming school year- and life in Wilhemville after they left it a little over seven years ago when they migrated to England after their parents’ unfortunate passing. 

At the mention of the two’s parents, Renjun felt a slight strain of tension in the air before Yeeun jumped on another topic, talking about working in the town’s local government office while Jeno kept quiet for the rest of the ride.

Renjun appreciated the distraction. They probably could smell his awkwardness and the pinch of arousal somewhere in the car. Well, no one could blame him. Being in a car with two gorgeous people, he couldn’t help but appreciate the view. Still, Renjun was beyond embarrassed and he tried to tamped those feelings down.

Knowing that wolves could smell his emotions, now, that was a new information he hadn’t read anywhere. And that information was vital. He supposed that was the reason why it wasn’t widely known.

It could make or break them.

They reached his house in no time and when Renjun opened the door with his key, his mom was already on the foyer, waiting for him so she could scold Renjun.

At the sight of the two Lee siblings behind Renjun, the nag at the tip of her mother’s tongue died down and surprise took over her features.

“Good evening, Sheriff Huang. I’m Yeeun Lee and this is my brother, Jeno Lee.”

“Ms. Lee. Mr. Lee,” Mom greeted, confusion replacing the surprise on her face. “What brings you here to my house?”

“We’re here to drop Renjun off.” Yeeun said with a polite smile. “And to talk with you. Do you have a minute? It will be quick, I promise.”

“Sure. Please, come in. I knew this would happen eventually.”

Renjun saw Mom’s expression turned serious and she assumed her cop-stance before ushering the three inside their house, gesturing for the two guests to make themselves comfortable in their living room. Yeeun said her thanks and Jeno parroted her as they sat on the couch.

When they were in the light and his mother had finally gotten a good look at Renjun, her expression turned worried.

“Jesus, kid, what happened to you?” Mom lifted Renjun’s face to check the cuts on it, then her eyes wandered down to his arms which were filled with bruises and small cuts.

“I’m fine Mom. There's no need to worry. I’ve already been tended. I think it is best that you listen to what Yeeun has to say first.” Renjun held his mother’s hand in his and gave her a smile to reassure her. It didn’t work that much, but at least he got her to sit down. “But wait, you knew what would happen eventually?”

Mom frowned at him. “This talk.”

“This talk including…?”

Mom and Yeeun exchanged glances before she turned to Renjun with a sigh. “This talk about the Lee family being supernaturals.”

Renjun’s eyes widened. “You knew about them?”

“Well, yeah. I’m the sheriff, kid. I should know about them. They’re under my jurisdiction.”

“Huh.” Renjun could only say. His mom working for the government, he guessed it was only common for them to know which was who in their little community.

“But that’s not the only reason I came here today, Sheriff Huang. I also wanted to talk to you about Renjun’s… injuries.” Yeeun butted in.

The sheriff’s expression turned pensive then, shifting her gaze on the three of them. No one talked, the atmosphere turning into frost as unspoken assumptions filled the air.

Diffusing the silence, Renjun clapped his hands at that, the other three startling. He decided that nothing would be done if the atmosphere stayed stagnant like that.

“I’d bring in some drinks from the kitchen and you guys… talk.”

Renjun spared Yeeun a tentative glance and the other nodded. Being the Alpha, Renjun thought it best that she was the one who should explain the events of today to his mom since he, himself, still wasn’t sure what to make of it up until now.

His mind was still wobbly from today and he just wanted to process it after he got a proper shower and in the comfort of his bed.

Renjun saw Jeno make an aborted movement from his peripheral vision and he decided to save the other from the conversation, nodding at Jeno to follow him to the kitchen before turning around to proceed with the drinks.

“Your mom is kind of scary.” Jeno said in a lowered voice once they were out of earshot.

Renjun chuckled. “You think my mom is scary? Dude, you should see her in her uniform with her gun. She’s a force to be reckoned with.”

“I figured.” Jeno leaned in on the counter, watching Renjun whizzed through the kitchen. “She became a sheriff for a reason, that’s for sure.”

“Thanks.” Renjun smiled. “Mom’s pretty awesome.”

Bringing with them some drinks and biscuits, Renjun and Jeno went back to the living room where the two women were conversing in a serious manner.

Renjun saw his mom’s stern expression and knew, exactly, that she had already found out about him getting chased by a feral werewolf this afternoon. There was worry etched in the lines that marked her forehead, making her look aged and years older.

Placing the tray of food on the center table, Renjun immediately went beside his mom, grasping her hand to wordlessly reassure her that he was here and he was fine as he sat on the arm of the chair she was sitting at. Mom squeezed his hand once in response.

“I managed to make the werewolf shift back into his human form. We are keeping him at home for now. He didn’t have much memory of the chase with Renjun, possibly because he was feral most of the time he was doing it.” Yeeun explained to his mom.

“Does he have a pack?” Mom asked.

Yeeun nodded. “We got his name after he calmed down and our emissary had already made contact with his pack from Fairview Hills. We would return him back to his pack first. After that, we’ll see what will come out of our meeting with his pack. I figured we should investigate the situation further since we don’t know who attacked him last night in our territory. Or what.”

“The person who looks like my son.”

“Yes.” Yeeun paused to drink the juice that Jeno handed her, throat parched. “We have never heard of a shapeshifter who could take the form of another human being. So, there is a possibility that it is a human. If he is, then we would leave him in your care. If he isn’t, then he would be sent to the council for trial. That is why we would like to ask for your assistance.”

“Alright.” Mom sighed and rubbed her eyes, tired. “I’ll talk to my men tomorrow so we could start an investigation of our own, too. It had been really hectic in the department lately.”

“Thank you, sheriff.” Yeeun nodded gratefully and looked at Renjun with a smile. “We should leave now. We already took up a lot of your time and I know you haven’t had your dinner yet.”

The four stood up and with more polite farewells and confirmation of communication regarding the investigation of the situation with the feral werewolf from another pack, the Lee siblings soon left their house.

The air was pungent with silence at first, but Mom invited Renjun to finally have dinner, to which he wholeheartedly agreed, awkwardness dissipating in the air as the two sat down on the table to eat.

After a while, his mom asked. “Are you really okay, Renjun? Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”

“Yes, mom. Don’t worry too much. These are just small cuts and bruises. Nothing too serious.”

“Son, you were chased by a feral werewolf. That in itself is serious. Stop belittling your experience to appease me. I have the right to be worried.” She gestured helplessly on Renjun’s appearance. “Just looking at you makes me want to take a leave tomorrow so I could have you on my watch 24/7.”

“Mom.” Renjun said in a whine. He knew his mother would be worried that’s why as much as possible, Renjun didn’t want to tell her about the attack. “You know you can’t do that. You haven’t even been a sheriff for a month and you already want to take a leave of absence?”

“I know, I know. But it’s hard to leave you alone knowing the things I know now.”

Renjun reached out and held his mother’s hand across the table. “Mom, I promise I will be fine. If you want, I could ask Jaemin to come over tomorrow since he’s free. Or I could go to school and do my art piece. There are lots of people there. Don’t worry. I’ve survived up until now. I could survive more.”

“Fine.” His mother said after a while, still reluctant but she had no other choice. “But if something happens,  _ anything, _ you pick up your phone and call me, alright? Promise me, Renjun.”

Renjun smiled and nodded. “I promise.”

*

Scratching the back of his head, Renjun squinted at the canvas in front of him, legs splayed out encasing the easel.

It was a humid afternoon and Renjun had made a lot of progress with his art piece, having already finished painting the backdrop with different shades of greens and earthy colors for the last few days after the unfortunate werewolf incident.

To say that Renjun was still rattled about it was an understatement. Most of the time, he would never let his guard down like now, always looking back behind him, alert like a hunted deer by the sound of every noise that was out of the ordinary, wary that someone was going to jump at him any time.

On most occasions, Renjun’s nerves would be eating away at him like vicious ants to a sweet. But today was different. 

Jeno was across the room, so his mind was at ease.

Moments spent with Jeno in the art room were the only times that Renjun could feel himself breathe freely without having to worry about the fact that he was going to be attacked at any given moment. Over the time, Jeno had warmed up to him and the two had gotten closer.

Or at least, Renjun believed that Jeno would warn him if there was something bad in his way instead of scowling at him for being an idiot in the way of danger. Small miracles.

Renjun liked to think that they had gotten closer because they had experienced some pretty shitty things together- they shared some kind of bond over those things. No matter how dangerous those incidents were.

“Hey, Jeno.” Renjun called, a small grin forming on his lips when he his eyes glazed over the other when an idea popped inside his head like a light bulb.

“No.” Jeno grunted, not even looking up from the book he was reading. It was from  _ Hawthorne. _

Renjun pouted. “You’re so mean I haven’t even said anything yet.”

“Whatever it is, I’m not interested.”

Narrowing his eyes, Renjun crumpled a piece of used paper and threw it, hitting Jeno’s forehead dead on. Jeno spared him an unimpressed look, rolled his eyes then continued reading.

This continued for three more times, Renjun missing once and hitting the wall behind the other, paper falling to the ground with a silent  _ pat!.  _ However, even though that one paper failed, the other two times the papers had hit, they hit Jeno on the nose and the last one landed on the book, completely obscuring the other’s concentration and view.

With a loud sigh and the thread of his patience wearing thin until it finally snapped, Jeno put down the book, face down, and focused his attention on him. Renjun perked up with a victorious smile.

“Finally.”

“What do you want?” Jeno grumbled, half annoyed and half resigned, already used to Renjun’s constant distractions.

“Hey, do you mind turning into your wolf for me right now?” Renjun blurted out, eyes bright and eager.

“No.” Frowning at the sudden request, Jeno inclined his head. He couldn’t help but still be curious. “Why?”

“Because you’re my inspiration for this art piece.” Renjun shrugged. “Did I forget to mention that?”

He was already an expert to Jeno’s refusals so it didn’t really bother him when he was denied his request for the nth time. He already knew the other would say  _ no _ to him the instant he even thought of the idea.

Well, at least Renjun could say that he tried.

Jeno’s wolf had struck a chord within Renjun, and that chord continued to flare notes inside him, waking his every nerve with carols of excitement and wonder. He was beautiful in that form, all midnight fur and electric sapphire eyes.

Not that Jeno was less beautiful in his human form, but there was something ethereal in seeing the other in his primal manifestation.

When he focused his eyes on Jeno again, the other was staring at him with an indiscernible intensity in his eyes. 

“Don’t look at me like that. I only asked because I wanted to portray you in my painting as close as possible. I’ve only seen you a couple times and those times were not really the perfect situation for me to inspect you in great detail. Anyway, I’ve asked and you said no, so I won’t push. I’ll just try to work with what I could remember.” Then, Renjun abruptly stopped, eyes widening as he realized something. “Oh shit. I should’ve asked if you were fine with having you as my inspiration.”

Jeno was quiet at first, just staring at Renjun, making him feel as if he was trying to understand his very soul, so he ended up averting his eyes to the palette in his hand, acting as if he was busy.

“It’s fine. Black wolves are common so it doesn’t matter.” Jeno dismissively said when he finally spoke, shaking his head. Getting the offhanded approval, Renjun couldn’t help but brighten up, lips forming into a smile.

“Thanks, Jeno.” Without missing a beat, Renjun leaned to the side to get a clearer view of Jeno. “Are you a hundred percent sure that turning into a wolf any moment today will never be on the table? Like ever?”

“No, Renjun. I’m not a pet.”

Humming disappointedly, Renjun nodded. “Alright. Never hurt to try asking again. But if you changed your mind, feel free to just do your magic and  _ woof, _ you know.”

“Shut your mouth before I make you.” Jeno warned with finality and Renjun closed his mouth, making a show of zipping it with his fingers, locking it and throwing the invisible key away. To which the other only rolled his eyes to before getting back on his reading.

With a small smile, Renjun went back to his canvass too, feeling far more exuberant than before.

Lately, talking with Jeno had become one of the highlights of his days because all of his friends were too busy to spend time with him.

Even Jaemin, which was a really huge bummer. He missed having his bestfriend even if they talked on the phone almost everyday.

Jeno, though not as willing and talkative as Jaemin, was by far the only available person he could bug with his constant ramblings. The other didn’t seem to mind, or so Renjun liked to believe.

Well, if he did, then Jeno could just leave him in the art room and never come back again, right?

However, despite his nonsensical babbling, Jeno continued to show up everyday with his book, and always acquiesced to Renjun’s constant distractions, willingly giving him a little of his time everyday.

Renjun concluded that Jeno secretly liked his company as well and that idea made something in his stomach flutter in elation, making his time with the other even more precious.

_ Jeno, such a tsundere character. _ He sighed wistfully. 

With a loud bang that almost made Renjun drop his paint brush, the door opened and a person with honey colored locks entered the room. The sound forced him out of his reverie.

“There you are!” Donghyuck exclaimed, jumping to Jeno’s side, who looked slightly annoyed, with ease and sitting on the chair. “So this is where you’ve been disappearing to every break-  _ Oh.” _ The uninvited guest’s eyes settled on Renjun, immediately recognizing his presence. “Hey! You’re the one that got away. How’s your injuries?” He greeted with so much glee that Renjun couldn’t help but be blinded. Metaphorically, of course.

“I’m the one that what?” Renjun’s face filled with confusion, uncertain which one he should address first. “Oh, my injuries are healing fine, thank you.” He added not a second after because he remembered that this was the one who patched him up.

Grinning, the sunkissed boy leaned on the table. “It’s nothing. I’m glad you’re doing fine now. I didn’t know that you go here too! That’s such a coincidence. No wonder Jeno’s been missing.”

“Yeah.” Renjun said, speechless at how energetic and a complete opposite of Jeno this person was.

At the same time, Jeno questioned. “What are you doing here, Hyuck?”

Donghyuck turned to Jeno and put his arm around his shoulders. “Little cousin, can’t I be here, too? Don’t tell me you’re getting territorial?” Jeno didn’t answer but only gave Donghyuck a warning look that had the other replying with a chuckle after a few seconds, carefully removing his hand from Jeno’s shoulders. “Alright, alright. I’m just curious where you always run off to whenever it’s our break. Geez, you don’t have to plot my murder.”

“Be quiet or leave.” Jeno turned to his book after that. Donghyuck pouted, muttering something about Jeno being a spoilsport and an old grumpy wolf.

Renjun didn’t know what to make of the two’s recent exchange so he just stayed observing them. When Donghyuck realized that he was looking, the other smiled and rested his palms on the table before him, leaning forward towards Renjun with newfound interest.

“I don’t think I’ve introduced myself to you properly. I’m Donghyuck Lee. You can just call me Donghyuck or Hyuck. I’m the awesome cousin in the family.”

Renjun felt himself relax at the friendly tone. “I’m Renjun Huang. Nice to formally meet you.”

“So, what are you working on?”

“Just one of the art pieces that we’re going to be displaying at the start of the semester.”

Donghyuck’s eyes widened at that. “Really? That’s really cool! If your art will get displayed then that means you’re good, right?”

“No. I’m not really that good. I think I’m average.” Blushing, Renjun waved his hands, slightly embarrassed of the statement.

“Nonsense!” Donghyuck stood up to go over to his side to look at the work he’s had so far and gasped after getting a glimpse of what was painted in the canvass. “What are you saying? This is gorgeous, Renjun! And it’s not even finished yet.”

With every compliment, Renjun seemed to shrink further to himself, blushing profusely.

“It’s okay. You’re being too nice.”

Laughing, Donghyuck squeezed his shoulder. “No, really. I’m not lying. You’re really good. But may I ask, is this one of the clearings in the Preserve?”

Renjun was fascinated at how fast Donghyuck recognized the green clearing. “Yeah, how did you know?”

“Well, I live there, duh.”

“Oh, right.”

“But what’s this white blank in the middle?”

Being asked suddenly, Renjun felt a different kind of blush colouring his cheeks and neck. The empty spot was supposed to be where Jeno’s wolf would be that he still hadn’t painted on.

Explaining it to someone who actually knew about the black wolf, words vanished inside Renjun. Somehow, he didn’t want anyone to know that the subject in his painting was Jeno.

Like it was their own little thing, Renjun was hesitant to share this bit of them with others.

Sensing his discomfort, Jeno clucked his tongue. “Donghyuck, stop bothering him and come sit here.”

“Sorry. I’ll leave you to it then.” Donghyuck apologized with a wince and rushed to Jeno’s side, finally sitting like an obedient child as he took out his phone to fiddle with it.

When he caught Jeno’s eyes, Renjun sent him a smile, grateful for the save.

*

“ _ So, did Donghyuck talked about me? _ ” Jaemin asked from the other line of the phone which was on speaker mode, placed atop the bathroom counter. Renjun was just drying his hair from his recent shower, getting ready for bed when his bestfriend called.

“No? Why would he even talk about you?”

In the few recent days, Donghyuck had started to hang around with Renjun and Jeno in the art room. Curious at first about Jeno’s whereabouts during their free time in between classes, the honey skinned male started looking for the other around the school and was surprised to find him reading a book in one of the club rooms, together with Renjun.

Needless to say, after that one time, he started coming in with Jeno the next day and the day after that until it had become a regular thing.

Renjun discovered that Donghyuck was a lot more entertaining to be with than Jeno. Instantly, they had become friends since the other seemed to like him a lot and Renjun felt the same. No wonder, Jaemin had taken an instant liking to the sunkissed lycan.

_ “We exchanged numbers last week when I bumped into him in the local library and we have been exchanging messages for days but he hasn’t replied to me since yesterday.” _ Jaemin sighed, sounding forlorn.  _ “And we were getting along well, too.” _

Renjun could hear the other’s pout and quietly sniggered. “Jaem, maybe he’s just busy with other things. I’m sure he has a good reason for not giving you a reply.”

Renjun remembered that Donghyuck mentioned something about how the pack was doing rotational patrol on the Preserve’s perimeter every night, trying to get a whiff of the serial murderer on the loose. That was probably the reason why the other hadn’t been able to reply to any of Jaemin’s texts.

But he couldn’t say anything about it to his bestfriend since he wasn’t in the position to tell him about other people’s business.

“ _ But I’m  _ lonely, _ Renjun! I miss talking to him. _ ”

“It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since you two last talked. Don’t be gross.”

Rolling his eyes, Renjun picked up his phone and padded back to his room, closing the bathroom door silently. Jaemin continued to whine on the other line and he just let him.

But a movement on his peripheral vision had Renjun’s steps faltering. At that point, he stopped listening to his bestfriend’s lovesick ramblings, his eyes snapping to the top of the stairs at the end of the narrow hallway.

Renjun felt the whispers of that phantom feeling breezing over him like a ghastly wind. The shadwos that were motionless before suddenly started a languid dance on the walls, increasing in size until the hall was painted in tar black.

Soon, the dark shadows slowly reached for Renjun. Hairs on his skin stood up as the sounds around him faded to nothing.

In a split second, he got the feeling that he wasn’t alone in his own home, suffocating him with dread. But that was impossible since his mother was on the night shift duty today and he had already made sure that the doors and windows were properly locked shut.

Snapping out of it, Renjun forced his feet to move and dashed towards his own room, almost tripping in the process but managing to get inside. He locked the door as soon as he did, as if that could stop whatever malevolent entity it was that was bringing life to the shadows, staring intently at the knob, perturbed at the possibility that it would move.

“Renjun.”

Renjun screamed, dropping his phone in fright. He grabbed the nearest object to use as a weapon. It was an old baseball bat that Jaemin left and had already forgotten. It had been years since then. He had never been more thankful for his bestfriend being a careless mess until now.

Tightly gripping his fingers on the handle, he swung the bat as hard as he could to the direction of the voice without giving it a single thought, adrenaline coursing rapidly through his veins.

The person exclaimed in surprise and leaped back to dodge the hit, the bat missing their head by a few centimeters.

“Renjun! Stop! Shit- it’s  _ Jeno!” _

At that, Renjun paused and opened his eyes, he hadn’t even realized that he had closed them in the process until he could see what was in front of him. And like a cold water being poured over him, Jeno was standing in the middle of Renjun’s room, looking shocked and worried at the same time.

It was crazy, but Renjun felt himself relaxed and lowered the bat in his trembling hands, heart working its way into a cardiac arrest. His mind was muddled, not even sure what even was going on. But he caught a glimpse of his opened window behind Jeno.

Disbelief flared in him.

“Jeno, what the fuck are you doing in my room?  _ Jesus Christ, _ I almost bashed your head in with a bat. Don’t you know how to knock on people’s front doors?”

Renjun took a step forward, feeling really angry, frightened and relieved at the same time. But before Jeno could answer him, Renjun heard a muffled voice.

_ “Renjun? Renjun? What’s going on in there? Do I have to call the police?” _ Jaemin’s voice was laced with panic and Renjun had forgotten for a moment that he was still in a call with the other. Shakily, he bent down and picked up the device on the floor.

“Hey, Jaemin. I’m fine. Don’t call the police. I’ll call you later.” Renjun said as steadily as he could and ended the call without waiting for the other’s answer. Then, he glared at Jeno who at least had the deference to look chastised with his eyes conflicted. “You better have a very good explanation for breaking into someone else’s home.”

Jeno exhaled, running his hand through his hair then started talking. “I knocked but no one answered. I could hear your heartbeat inside and heard you talking so I know you were home. I figured you were just busy and was deciding whether to wait or not. But suddenly, your heart started beating incredibly faster as if you were running a marathon. I thought something came to attack you again. I went around the house, saw your window opened and went in. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Hearing this explanation and seeing how genuine the other was of his words, Renjun’s anger subsided. Jeno was only concerned for him. The other would willingly fight something it didn’t even know for him. That thought provoked a warm feeling inside Renjun, calming his fear with its gentle caress. It also helped that the ominous feeling had dissipated instantly as soon as he opened his eyes a while ago.

Gulping, Renjun felt his knees turn to jelly as the adrenaline evaporated out of him, so he walked over to his bed and plopped over it. The bat dropped on his floor with a  _ clang. _ He was just suddenly exhausted, fight dying inside him like smoke disappearing in the sky.

Groaning, he turned to Jeno and blinked at him owlishly.

“Please, do not scare me like that ever again. You almost gave me a heart attack.” Renjun pleaded and gestured to his room. “Feel free to sit wherever.”

Jeno watched him with a frown but said nothing, going over to his desktop chair and sitting on it. “Why was your heart beating so fast a while ago? It was… the sound of someone scared to death.”

Renjun bit the inside of his cheek, contemplating if he should tell Jeno about the shadows but deciding against it in the last minute.

“I thought I saw something in the shadows.” He said in a low voice.

Technically, he didn’t lie, so he knew his heart did not give away that telltale uptick in a liar’s heartbeat. Spending time with a lycan on a regular basis, Renjun had learned a trick or two to go around that ability of theirs to detect a lie.

To lie without blatantly lying was the answer he had came up with, be as vague as you can be without disclosing specific details of the lie and be as close to the truth as possible without revealing anything.

It was simple as that. And Renjun was nothing but an expert with words, so it was an easy feat for him to do. When Jeno nodded, he knew that the other couldn’t do anything but believe him.

Jeno inclined his head to the side, listening to the sounds around the house. Then, he confirmed. “There’s no one else here besides us.”

“Good.” Renjun just muttered, immensely relieved even if he already knew that subconsciously since the phantom feeling behind him had already disappeared a few moments ago.

But the shadows moving on their own… He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. Maybe it was just his imagination.

Renjun hadn’t been sleeping well lately so that was probably one of the reasons why. He decided to put that incident at the back of his mind. He couldn’t let Jeno smell the fear in him now so he was going to think about it later, when the other was gone. Decidedly, Renjun pushed himself up, sitting on the bed with his legs crossed.

“Anyway, why are you here? Do you need anything?”

“No. Actually, I came to give you something.”

At that, Jeno pulled a slender vial out of his jacket. Looking at it from this distance, the vial was as big as Renjun’s two fingers combined.

Jeno tossed it to him and Renjun fumbled for a moment before he caught it, lifting the vial on eye level to examine what was inside. The item contained a dark sand, like something you’d buy in souvenir shops on beaches, except it was less colorful and more tar black. Renjun frowned.

“What’s this?”

“Mountain ash.” Jeno supplied helpfully. “It should protect you from a lot of supernaturals. Including my kind. It’s a protective barrier. You’ve seen it once before when Johnny used it to contain that feral werewolf.”

Renjun’s memory clicked and he remembered. Johnny threw a fistful of black sand in the air and the sand formed a perfect circle when it fell to the ground, serving as a magical jail ring. He looked at the vial in his hand, seemingly plain and unobtrusive. So, this was it. It certainly did not look much, in his opinion.

“Isn’t it a bit… little in quantity?”

“It’s magic, Renjun.”

“Yeah, but how do I…?” He trailed off, blinking lazily at the small container in his hand. It certainly did not look like magic. “I mean, I don’t even have magic. I’m human. How can I use something like this? Would it work?”

“It should work. Every creature has a spark of magic in them. Even humans like you. Even little magic things like that. When you use it, you just have to have faith in it for it to be realized, and your spark will do the job for you.”

“What’s a spark?”

“A spark is like an igniter. It’s the innate potential for magic in every living being. With the right magical devices at hand, it could be something more.”

Eyes widened, Renjun made a sound of surprise. “Really? That easy?”

“Yes and no.” Jeno nodded. “I’m not sure how hard it is for someone who wasn’t born with active magic like us, but I heard that being in touch with your spark is a rare occurrence. Though, Johnny seems to believe that you have a higher chance of tapping yours easily since you have been exposed to supernatural events and creatures more than a normal person has had.”

Renjun snorted. “I’m not sure I should be thankful for those experiences.”

Jeno’s wince told Renjun that he agreed with him. But the other didn’t comment about the bitterness in Renjun’s tone.

“This was just something temporary to protect you.” Jeno continued. “If you don’t mind, we could come over to your house tomorrow to properly ward it from supernatural harm. Yeeun is worried that something might follow your scent here and another feral werewolf incident could arise.”

Renjun felt overwhelmed, feeling grateful that Yeeun had wanted to extend her protection to him and his mother but somewhat still feeling scared, because even the Alpha could sense that there was something more to the werewolf incident than meets the eye.

There was also a small voice in his mind that was feeling hesitant, wanting to refuse the offer because he didn’t feel like being indebted to anyone. However, he quickly dismissed that one as soon as it made itself known.

“Has Yeeun told my mom about it?” He asked.

Jeno shook his head. “Not yet. We think you should be the one to discuss this matter with your mother. Of course, if you need help… I could come over and explain it with you.”

Renjun politely smiled, already thinking of doing that as soon as his mother arrived tomorrow morning.

“Thanks, Jeno. But there’s no need. I’ll talk to her about it when she comes home after her shift. I’m sure she would agree to it. Mom would really appreciate the added security since she isn’t home most of the time.”

“Just doing our duty as this town’s local pack.” Jeno shrugged.

For a moment, Renjun had a brief thought about how big the Lee pack actually was if there was no other wolf pack in their town. Yeeun must really be a powerful and influential Alpha to hold a town’s defences from supernatural dangers on her own. However, even though Wilhemville wasn’t that big, it's still a town with a bustling community that could support its own.

Though subtle, but Renjun had started to notice that most of Wilhemville’s community looked up to the Lee’s and depended on their guidance a lot. Like they were the heart and the town, their veins.

He knew that they were the most influential family in this town, Renjun just hadn’t noticed how deeply rooted the respect and impact were until he got to personally know them. It was an interesting and awe striking knowledge to be privy of.

Renjun was about to open his mouth when Jeno had stood up and handed him his phone. Frowning, he looked questioningly at the other, not moving a muscle.

“What?”

Jeno nodded to his phone as he insistently pushed it under Renjun’s nose. “What? You think I’m giving you a free phone? Enter your number.”

Renjun scowled but still snatched the phone away, only noticing that the screen was opened to a page for creating new contacts. He punched in his number, grumbling.

“If you want my number, just say so.”

“I did.” Jeno received his phone back then fiddled with it, ignoring Renjun’s childish mumblings. A moment later, his own phone on the bed rang then immediately died. Renjun picked the device up and checked who was calling him, the screen flashed an unknown number. Jeno looked up from his phone. “Save my number. But only use it in case of emergency. If it’s not a matter of life and death, you won’t like what I’m going to do to you, understand?”

“Stop treating me like a kid. It’s not like I’m gonna text you randomly to talk about cat videos on Youtube.”

Jeno only quirked his eyebrows and yeah. Renjun was guilty of doing that but they were not in that stage of friendship yet so he was going to hold back.

Jeno  _ wished _ he was a receiver of his cat video recommendations. Hah!

“I should go. It’s getting late and I’m taking up your time by staying here.”

“No! Not really. It’s okay. I don’t mind if you stay.” Waving his hands, Renjun’s eyes widened. “Uhm, I mean I didn’t mind your presence before. Not- not that I mind having you come over in the future too. Wait, I mean-”

“Whatever do you mean, Renjun?” He asked teasingly. Jeno’s eyebrows were raised high as he was walking backwards to the direction of the window.

Renjun’s neck flushed red as he stared dumbfounded at the other. He opened his mouth a few times before he ended up saying, “You know what I mean!”

Perching himself on the ledge of the window with his legs on either side, half in and half out, Jeno dramatically paused for a moment, seeming to contemplate Renjun’s words before he shrugged.

“Nope. Don’t know what you mean.” Then, he fully stepped out of the window and into the roof. “See you tomorrow, Renjun.” He waved before closing the window and leaping with ease from the second floor.

With his eyes widened, Renjun rushed to his window only to see Jeno’s back retreating towards the front of the house where his car was parked.

“Use the front door next time, idiot.” Knowing that Jeno could still hear him, Renjun  _ tsk-ed _ and muttered loudly. Not a second later, Renjun’s own phone  _ ping-ed _ in alert.

**Unknown Number > User**

_ Your window is more convenient at the time. _

_ Idiot. _

Renjun only shook his head and changed the name of the sender to  _ Grumpy Wolfcat  _ just because he could.

It was quite the irony, but Jeno resembled a cat for some reason beyond Renjun and he couldn’t help but find it funny and endearing at the same time. Not that he would be caught admitting that out loud. He’d rather shoot his foot first than do that. Jeno would definitely not appreciate being called something ridiculous as that.

Now that he thought about it, Jeno and Yeeun both resembled a cat. Maybe, it was a family thing.

**User > Grumpy Wolfcat**

_ but you were going to the front too since youre parked there right???  _

_ whos the idiot now _

He made sure to lock his window before going to his bed to finally rest. After he turned off the lights, he tucked himself in the warmth of his blanket, waiting for the other to answer. After a few minutes of not getting any reply, Renjun figured that the other was probably driving on the road now, on his way home.

Well, at least Jeno knew how to not text and drive.

Sighing, Renjun just plugged his phone on the charger and left it on his nightstand, deciding to finally close his eyes and give in to his exhaustion. The haunting shadows were now nothing but a speck of dust at the forefront of his mind as consciousness gave way to slumber.

He was way past asleep when his phone sounded on the nightstand a little bit later, light blaring in the quiet of the night.

**Grumpy Wolfcat > User**

_ Still you. _

*

As promised, Yeeun, Johnny and Jeno arrived the next day to put up wards around his house when his mother agreed to it.

Yeeun was vibrant as always talking with his mother and inquiring about the recent progress in the investigation of the feral werewolf case, Johnny was quiet and precise, skilled with his work and Jeno stayed beside Renjun the entire time.

The task was done as quick as the three had arrived. It was a warding magic that Johnny had put up around their house. The vet explained that it would serve as a security barrier, so he needed to link the magic to Renjun and the sheriff.

“A tattoo?” Mom exclaimed, her brows raised high.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Johnny nodded. “I promised it won’t hurt since its magic. The tattoo will signify the link to the barrier, like a live feed of it. But it will only look like a knotted rope and it could be anywhere you want. I suggest you put it on your wrist so you could see it easily. Unless you want an actual rope wrapped around your wrist?”

And that conversation ended.

The tattooed link, to Renjun and his mother’s surprise, would serve as the indication of the barrier’s status. It was a knotted rope, plain and simple.

The knotted rope will untie and form a straight line if there was a supernatural being trying to enter, a symbol meaning that the magic barrier was taut on high alert. Like Johnny had explained, this supernatural creature would need their permission to enter otherwise the magic would not let them inside no matter what.

The rope would then turn into some sort of a wave of curvy lines if it was a human who was trying to enter and the magic would not have any effect on them since a human was a lesser threat and they could be stopped in human means.

Lastly, if and when the magic barrier was broken in any way, the rope would snap in two and there would be a slight burning sensation for a few minutes.

That was about the length of Johnny’s explanation as he casted the link on the inner wrists of the mother and son. A small magical knotted rope appeared on the two’s body, seemingly unobtrusive. They tested it after that, the three knocking on their doorstep and the rope changing form. It was effective, to say, and the pack nodded their approval and satisfaction.

That day ended on a good note, and his mother had tried to get the three to stay for breakfast but the three politely refused, taking a rain check since they still had to be somewhere for work. In exchange, his mother thanked them and agreed to the rain check.

Renjun felt safer in his home than the previous month ever since the vacation started.

Also, he got a magic out of it so he felt badass.

**User > Grumpy Wolfcat**

_ tell johnny thanks for the tattoo _

_ it looks really cool _

Renjun grinned when he sent the message, not really expecting any reply from the other.

*

There were good and bad news after that day.

The good news was Renjun had been progressing fruitfully with his art piece to his delight. The bad news was: Renjun had been waking up on the floor of his room these past few days.

Inconveniently, his body hurt from sleeping on the hard and cold floor. Normally, and as far as he knew, he wasn’t a fitful sleeper. The only time he had rested well was when Jeno was in his house during that one night he received the vial of mountain ash from.

The past few days after seemed to be proving him wrong.

He keeps falling off his bed to sleep on the floor without him waking up, which was weird since he knew he was a light sleeper and he wakes up easily.

But he figured his restless sleeping was a result of the recent events in his life. That should be enough reason, Renjun surmised. He supposed the stress about his art piece also had something to do with it.

“Have you been exercising?” Jeno asked from in front of him as Donghyuck spared him a look, eyebrow raised.

“Huh?” Renjun answered.

They were in the art club’s room again, Renjun painting, Jeno reading, and Donghyuck on his phone, minding their own businesses in comfortable silence when Jeno decided to speak up.

Renjun peeked at the other on the side of his canvas, throwing Jeno a questioning look.

“I said, have you been exercising?” Jeno repeated above the book he was currently reading. It was something from  _ Austen _ this time.

“No? Why?”

Jeno looked at him, visibly scrunching his nose once, as if he didn’t like the smell, then frowning.

“That’s weird. You smell of pain and fatigue.”

Renjun made a face at that, looking at Donghyuck with a questioning look which the other only shrugged his shoulders once to answer.

“Dude, why are you smelling me?”

Donghyuck sniggered at the side. “Yeah, Jeno. Why are you smelling him?”

“I can’t help it.” Jeno scowled, grumbling. 

“I thought you could turn it off or something?” He asked with a frown, bemused. At that, Jeno only narrowed his eyes, refusing to answer. Renjun blew a raspberry and turned back to his painting. If Jeno didn’t want to share then Renjun won’t push it. “But yeah, I keep waking up on the floor these past few days and waking up with the worst feeling at that. Sleeping on the floor is so not advisable. Don’t try it at home, kids.” He said with a bitter taste.

“Shouldn’t you wake up when you fall on a hard surface? I didn’t peg you for a heavy sleeper.” Donghyuck leaned on the desk, resting his temple on a hand.

“Exactly!” Renjun exclaimed, waving the palette on his left hand for emphasis, eyes trained on the canvass before him. “I’m not a heavy sleeper nor a fitful one. It’s weird because I never wake up until the morning. My muscles hurt from the constant falling and sleeping on the floor. It’s driving me nuts.”

Jeno shrugged, going back to his book. “If it keeps happening, maybe you should put a spare blanket or mattress on the floor so when you fall, you’d end up sleeping on something comfortable.”

“Oh wow.” Renjun grinned, hand suspended in the air. “That’s genius, Jeno.”

“I was kidding, you know.” Jeno answered in a monotonous voice, already busy focusing on the Austen book again. Renjun ignored him with a hum, because the idea wasn’t ridiculous and he actually thought that it was something he could try tonight.

Lapsing into another silence, Renjun focused on trying to get the perfect shade of green to match the grass in his memory, brows furrowing in the process, lips pursed.

He wasn’t too worried about Jeno or Donghyuck seeing his art piece, the two didn’t care much anyway after the initial excitement had died down. They both respected his wish of being left alone by sitting on one of the desks in the front this time instead of going to Jeno’s usual spot at the back.

What he was concerned about was the fact that there had been three dead bodies found in the Preserve just this early morning that had the local government officially closing the place for an indefinite period of time.

When his mom got the call so early in the day, Renjun couldn’t help but startled awake to check why his mother was rushing and bustling when she was supposed to be on the afternoon shift that day.

He could hear her talking about it with another officer on the phone but not enough information had been gathered yet by then.

Inherently curious, Renjun wanted to know if Jeno had heard of it. Finding three bodies in the woods was unheard of in a place like theirs. And it being found near the border stream between the public Preserve and the Lee property, maybe the other had information that could quench his thirst.

“Jeno?” He blurted before he could even talk himself out of it.

“Mn.”

“Have you heard anything about the bodies in the Preserve?”

Jeno raised an eyebrow. Then, Donghyuck and he shared a look before he answered with a question. “Why do you want to know?”

“Just curious. It’s not a common thing in Wilhemville.” He frowned and retracted his words. “Well, it kind of is, but not in such a scale and all at once since they’re usually caused by animal attacks. In fact, these past few dead bodies in the woods had been the most we’ve had for years in a span of just a few weeks.” Renjun placed his brush and palette down on the stool beside him, completely disinterested with the painting now.

It also did not help that forensic investigations had later confirmed that none of the recent bodies found in the woods were a direct result of an animal attack. From what he had heard this morning, the bodies died from blood loss due to stab wounds.

Definitely not an animal attack. Though he had an inkling feeling that it wasn’t  _ just _ a homicide either.

Donghyuck hummed and answered him this time. “I’ve heard of it. The bodies were found so close to our property border. That being so, I heard Yeeun talking to your mother on the phone before we went to school, asking for assistance to see if we could sniff something out of the ordinary.”

“Like if the three dead bodies were connected to something supernatural?” Renjun inquired even if it was obvious that the police wouldn’t ask them to sniff the place out if it was anything but.

Obviously, the Lee’s weren’t K-9’s and they wouldn’t be asked to help like police dogs under normal circumstances. It would’ve just been rude to ask them to do so.

If they were asked for help, his mother must have found something peculiar about the situation that needed the pack’s supernatural expertise.

But Renjun saw Jeno frowned in confusion. Before he could ask why, the other had beaten him to it. “Three bodies?”

Renjun blinked. “Yeah? Wasn’t it?”

To his horror, Jeno shook his head.

“It wasn’t  _ just _ three bodies, Renjun. Yes, three bodies were found near the border of our land. But last time I heard, there were at least four more that they’ve found in the deeper parts of the Preserve, scattered in different places.”

“The other four bodies all died differently too.” Donghyuck added. “So, it’s hard to look for a pattern except that they all died in the Preserve.”

That had Renjun’s breath faltering. Four more? That would add up to  _ seven _ bodies in total found in under just a day! So, it indeed  _ was _ more than just a homicide. It was a serial murder. But what had Renjun even more chilled was the possibility that the killer was still out there.

“I didn’t know.” Renjun said, thinking deeply. “How come no bodies were found in your property? No offense, but it wasn’t like the public Preserve and the Lee property were divided with electric fences. I entered it easily once.”

“There was no need for it.” Donghyuck piped up.

“Yeah.” Jeno acquiesced, looking like he didn’t want to divulge this information but decided against that idea at the last second. “Anyone who’s of magical descent could not easily cross the border. Johnny, our emissary, had put up a magical defense that could identify if someone is supernatural or not. Just like the one we had put in your house, but just a lot stronger since we have the pack reinforcing the magic every time. The same rules apply too, if you’re a supernatural and you’re not part of the pack, you would need permission from any of the pack members to enter. If you’re human, the barrier would just let you in without any hindrance but it would also notify the pack.” Jeno explained further.

If that was the case then the Lee land was like a fortress with an invisible magical barrier of protection. In the possibility that the killer’s modus was to spread the bodies throughout the preserve, eventually that would include the land that Jeno’s family resided in.

If the killer initially wanted to enter the place to do his bidding, it was hindered because of the magic barrier. Thus, he instead killed the three bodies  _ just _ outside of the invisible wall.

That left the killer with two reasons. One, the killer was a local and they knew that crossing the stream meant that they would be on private land, risking trespassing on top of the murder charges if he was caught.

And two, the perpetrator knew about the magical barrier and of its effects.

The first one was possible, but Renjun did not think that the killer would be that mindful of trespassing charges when they had already done something much worse than it. That left Renjun with the second option, which turned out to be very reasonable once he had pondered about it more in his mind.

“The perpetrator who did the killings has a high possibility of being someone who isn’t entirely human, then.” Renjun concluded, crossing his arms as he leaned on the back of his chair, splaying his legs before him. “They could probably sense the magical barrier around your property. That, or they already knew about it.”

Solemn, Jeno did not affirm or negate his statement, letting the idea hang loudly in the air between them. Donghyuck only hummed.

But Renjun was fine with that, he wasn’t looking for anyone’s confirmation anyway. He was just throwing his idea out in the open so it wouldn’t wreck havoc inside his mind.

In that moment, something had bothered him, so he decided to voice it out.

“Wait, how come the feral werewolf could enter your land without permission when it was chasing me?”

Expression darkening, Jeno didn’t seem to want to say anything about that matter at first but he seemed to remember that the incident personally involved Renjun as well, so he relented and answered through a gruff.

“A few of our emissary’s arrays on the trees were tampered with.”

Donghyuck continued. “The barks where the wards are etched were burned, causing that land’s barrier to weaken and allow unpermitted entrance, eventually.”

“That was why we were near the stream when you broke into our land. Johnny was fixing the problem and we were investigating the place if there were traces left of the one who broke the magical array.” Jeno said.

Renjun was stunned for a moment. If the magical array hadn’t been broken previously, he would’ve survived the chase as soon as he crossed the stream. But since that was such the case and Renjun’s luck was the worst, the werewolf got through with him because the barrier was broken!

“The werewolf’s attacker.” Renjun blurted out all of a sudden, eyes widened as his eyes glazed over Jeno and Donghyuck in realization. “Didn’t the werewolf said that the man… the man who he thought was me ran inside the woods? Could it be that it was him who also tampered with your emissary’s magic? And the one who left the three bodies just outside your perimeter?”

Jeno slightly nodded. “That’s what we thought too as soon as we heard the situation that day...”

Renjun felt like Jeno was hesitating to say something. So, he quickly jumped on the thought and prompted the other before Jeno could think otherwise.

“But...?”

Pursing his lips, Jeno shared a look with Donghyuck and they seemed to have a silent communication. Then, the lycan shook his head, as if remembering something he disliked.

“But if that person could break Johnny’s magic so easily, why didn’t they just enter?” Jeno finally said. It was a question that was left unanswered. They could only be thrown into another loop. “We also couldn’t smell anything different.” 

“Different how?”

“We couldn’t smell the person who burned the wards on the tree barks. Or anyone other than the dead bodies this morning, for that matter. It was like… the magic burned by itself. And those people killed each other.” Jeno looked like he couldn’t believe it too, but knew that if there really was someone who tampered with the magic or murdered those people, then they should have left a scent in the scene. No matter how faint it was. Donghyuck’s far away, grim look wasn’t helping the situation too.

But there was nothing. It was like the person who had messed done all of those horrible things had vanished into thin air, and that threw all the wolves into a spiral of confusion.

“Are you sure that it wasn’t struck by lightning?” Renjun asked just to tick all of the possibilities.

Jeno scoffed at him. But Donghyuck smiled wistfully as he turned to him. “That was warlock magic, Renjun. I don’t think a simple lightning could easily burn it off. Even if it was hit by lightning, the magic should still be there. But the tree bark was burned off together with the magic. We could only assume that it was undone with magic as well.”

Renjun nodded, agreeing. He expected that answer already. “Yeah. And it wasn’t raining that night so that was stupid of me to ask.”

“No. It’s okay.” Donghyuck simply said. “Any ideas are welcome.”

“How about the werewolf? Didn’t he come into physical contact with his attacker? Should he have at least memorized it’s scent?”

Jeno shook his head. “We already asked him, but he couldn’t pinpoint the other’s smell as well. He said he couldn’t remember clearly. Said he was certain that he knew the scent, but somehow, it was like he slowly forgot about it.” The other sighed. “We’ve honestly ran out of ideas and Johnny’s scouring the books in existence to find what kind of magic or monster could mask its scent like that.”

“So, you’re really sure that it was a supernatural and not the works of a human?”

“What else could it have been besides one?”

Jeno stood up from his chair after that, preparing to leave for his next class and completely putting an end to their conversation. Donghyuck stood up too winked at Renjun and followed the other.

Renjun did not have an answer for the question, thus, he remained silent in his chair when the two had waved him goodbye, only nodding at them. His thoughts were already far away when the door closed shut behind the other two’s backs.

It must be a powerful monster then, for it to be able to mask its scent from wolves.

The moment those footfalls outside were silenced and he was fully alone, Renjun felt the hairs on the back of his neck rising. His lips parted.

It was there again. The feeling of someone watching him.

Slowly, he lifted a hand to clasp the back of his neck, alert and listening to his surroundings. The sounds of the relatively bustling school were muted, like he was listening from underwater.

Then with a snap, there was nothing.

The silence made its presence known like a punch in the gut. Renjun couldn’t even hear his own breathing nonetheless his own heart.

In his haste, he stood up, the chair he was sitting at fell behind him. As soon as the wooden chair collided with the hard floor, sounds came pouring in from everywhere, their volume multiplied by a hundred fold. It was as loud as the cascading waters from a waterfall, crashing down on rocks relentlessly. However, instead of the calming sound of nature, these sounds were equally deafening but more terrifying.

There were cries and screams of agony ringing in Renjun’s ears and he raised his hands to block them, but it was futile. The horrifying sounds were hellish, and they were coming from nowhere and everywhere.

Renjun fell to his knees as the voices reach out to him, asking for something he couldn’t understand.

They were speaking to him all at once, a thousand voices banging inside his eardrum. It was too much, and it was getting harder for him to breathe.

One voice started to cackle above everyone else’s, sinister and completely in unbridled joy towards his turmoil.

_ “Stop!” _ Renjun yelled in desperation. Then, he closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, the voices were gone, and Renjun’s sight was welcomed with a familiar white ceiling. It was old but well-maintained. It was the ceiling of his own home.

For a moment, Renjun was disoriented, just lying on the sofa in their living room, not knowing what day it was, what time it was or why he was sleeping in there instead of in his own room. He stared at nothing for minutes, owlishly blinking and boneless as he made no effort to move. His breathing was even, his mind was nothing but a blank slate.

He would’ve stayed longer in that position if it weren’t for his mother coming home from her shift at the station, the door closing with a loud sound and soon, Mom was in the living room.

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed Renjun lying on the sofa. With a confused frown, Mom asked. “Renjun? I thought you were going to school today to finish your art piece?”

Renjun startled, finally moving to sit. “Yeah.” Then, he frowned as he eyed his mother who looked worn out. “I thought you’re in the night shift today?”

Bewildered, Mom cocked her head to the side. “I was. I just got home.”

“What?” Renjun was surprised by that answer. If she was on the night shift and she just got home… that meant that it was morning now.

Dread settled in his stomach as he finally recounted the previous events. He remembered being in school today. He remembered talking with Donghyuck and Jeno. Then… then the voices. And the next thing he knew, he was waking up in his house.

Shooting his eyes up to his mom, fear clutched its claws on his feet. “W-what day is it today?”

“Thursday.” Mom answered, crossing her arms and looking at Renjun curiously. “Are you alright? You look a little pale, kid. Are you sick?”

Renjun gulped before nodding, feeling overwhelmed. “I’m fine.” He tried to smile and hoped that his mother didn’t see through it. “I was just about to get ready to go to school. You should eat then rest, Mom.”

Heran could only acquiesce with a wordless nod since Renjun already stood up to go to his room to do what he had just said.

Once he was in his room, Renjun released the breath he was holding in and dropped the calm facade he had put up.

“Fuck.” He cursed, mind reeling and going a mile a minute.

His mother said today was  _ Thursday _ . But Renjun remembered clearly that he was in the school yesterday afternoon on a  _ Wednesday _ .

After the voices, Renjun couldn’t remember what had transpired after. His mind was a void space, missing more than twelve hours of his life. He couldn’t recount what happened last night, how he left school, how he got home.

There was nothing.

Renjun had no memory of what happened from yesterday’s afternoon up until he woke up today.

With every realization, Renjun’s breath had started to pick up again. He could hear someone wheezing, and belatedly realized that the sound was coming from him. Suddenly, he couldn’t breathe properly so he sat on the floor, buried his head between his knees and counted to four as he held his inhales and exhaled at five like how he remembered the doctor taught him. He stayed like that for a moment, just repeatedly trying to control and compose himself.

He couldn’t tell his mom. He didn’t want to be a burden to her. She already had so much worry on her plate with all the murders in their quaint little town. Renjun felt that it would be better to figure this out on his own for now. When he really couldn’t solve it on his own or when he finally had enough information about what was happening, only then he would tell his mom.

As far as he was concerned, he had always avoided bothering his mother this way. Renjun could do it. He could take care of himself on his own. He had been doing it for the past years.

When he calmed down after a few minutes, Renjun determinedly prepared for school, showering and brushing his teeth, tossing his dirty clothes on the laundry and changing into clean ones.

Once he was done, he didn’t bother calling out to his Mom when he was about to leave, worried that he might wake her up if she was sleeping already, and just locked the front door behind him with a resounding  _ click! _

Mind afar, Renjun reached school relatively quickly. His mind was a jumbled mess about what happened to him and what  _ could _ possibly happen again, hands were shaking with a slight tremor of trepidation.

Where was he yesterday?

He needed to figure out the answer to that one question first, he deduced after contemplation, walking mindlessly to where his feet was determined to go. In order for him to do so, Renjun faced a situation that had him stopping in front of a door, unable to open it.

With his fear spiking, Renjun stood apprehensively in the empty hallway with his hand suspended in the air, staring at the knob of the art club’s door, wondering belatedly how he was able to reach this place without much thought. Probably, muscle memory, he answered in his mind.

He couldn’t get himself to open it, afraid that something sinister was behind the other side of this door, patiently waiting for its prey to enter before it pounced. Renjun’s fist curled, palms sweating a little.

He could do this! Renjun geared himself up mentally. But before he could open the door, it opened by itself.

“What are you doing just standing there?” Donghyuck asked, keen eyes raking him up and down.

Renjun blinked owlishly at the other, forgetting how to act for a brief moment and feeling like his heart just lurched out of its confinements at the sudden anticlimactic event that unfolded before him.

“I was just about to enter.” Renjun answered softly.

Once he was inside, Renjun couldn’t help but to sweep a look around the place, noticing that nothing was amiss after a while. Of course, he couldn’t be too sure because he hadn’t looked in great detail but overall, everything looked the same as it did yesterday.

Jeno was sitting at the front, brows slightly furrowed as he took in Renjun’s arrival in his usual silence. Donghyuck closed the door, also observing him as he sat beside Jeno.

“What?” Renjun asked when he couldn’t take it anymore, the tension in the air was palpable.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jeno blurted out.

“Nothing?” Renjun said a little too quickly, and a little too unsure.

Jeno and Donghyuck reacted obviously to his answer, hearing the tick in his heart that signaled a lie and Renjun internally cursed.

In his moment of disorientation, he completely forgot about the lycans who regularly hung around with him during his time in the school and their ability to smell emotions and tell a lie.

“Renjun…” Donghyuck started, voice cautious. “I don’t want to impose. You usually smell of anxiety but today… you’re like a beacon of fear and it’s worrying. I could practically smell it from you when you were outside.”

“I’m fine. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Renjun lied through his teeth and hoped that the lycans would just take that as him not wanting to talk about it.

The two didn’t reply then, and the matter was dropped conveniently.

Renjun walked over to his working station, dropping his rucksack on the floor beside his stool and sitting on the chair, facing his easel that was covered in a white cloth.

For a moment, he just sat there, collecting himself. Renjun wanted to tell the two, but the words to express his situation seemed to have run away from him. If anyone could help, he figured their supernatural abilities could be a game changer, and would bring new information to the table.

But Renjun, like what he felt with his mom, didn’t want to impose on the two. He definitely did not want to make it seem like he only wanted to befriend them  _ because _ they were two magical useful beings. Renjun’s friendship with the two was still walking on pins and needles though they have made a lot of progress from before, he didn’t want to nip the budding friendship they had when it hasn’t even fully bloomed yet.

When he pulled out his drawing pad, a page fell off and landed like a feather on the floor. Renjun bent down to pick it up but gasped, eyes widened as he immediately dropped the piece of paper as if it burned his fingers.

“Renjun?”

Jeno’s head snapped up from the book that he was fake reading because all of his senses were distracted by Renjun’s smell of anxiety and the beating of terror in the staccato of his heart. So at the slightest sound of distress, his eyes were instantly on the other.

Donghyuck perked up too, but Renjun didn’t have the time to notice them, eyes solely on the pencil drawn sketch on the floor staring right back at him tauntingly.

“What… what’s this?” He whispered, slowly picking up the fallen piece of paper, heart playing a drum.

“What is what?” Jeno was now standing up in alarm, unsure if he should approach Renjun. But the wild beating of fear and distress in the human’s heart was deafening to Jeno, so he decided to cross the few steps separating them.

Renjun was still staring at the drawing in his hand. It was a sketch of the woods. The scene was centered on the stumped tree where Renjun first met Jeno. The Nemeton. However, what was terrifying about it was that there was a person lying on the tree, its guts spilled for everyone to see.

Hands trembling, Renjun thought it was him at first. But then he noticed it wasn’t. The dead body on the sketch was a woman.

“Is that your drawing?” Jeno asked and Renjun jumped at the sudden voice near him. He didn’t notice the other sneaking up behind him to get a look at the piece of paper.

Renjun was speechless for a moment, looking at the sketch. At first glance, it looked like it was one of his works. But if Renjun looked closely, he noticed that there were differences between the similarities that only he or any other person who was familiar with his works could point out.

The lines in the sketch were harsher, the strokes aggressive. The shadows of the drawing were done in a way not to accentuate the shades but to swallow the picture it was depicting.

“It’s not mine.” Renjun decidedly said.

It was true. The sketch was a perfect copy of Renjun’s art style. But with the keen eyes of an artist, Renjun could tell what’s real and what’s not. Not to mention that he couldn’t remember having drawn such a gory image.

Jeno was silent for a moment and Renjun chanced a glance at him. He saw that the other was sporting a grim look, jaws clenched as it stared at the graphic sketch.

“Are you sure?” Jeno asked, voice low.

Renjun couldn’t help but wonder why Jeno would ask him that. “Yes, I’m sure.”

“Have you been to the woods?” Jeno asked icily again.

“Jeno, what’s going on?” Donghyuck stood up and walked over the two, sensing something wrong with his cousin’s temperament.

“Look at the sketch, Hyuck.”

Jeno said the words simply but Renjun could sense the slight judgement in it. Donghyuck peered once on the paper and gasped which made Renjun’s trepidation elevate.

“Renjun, is this really not yours?”

“Yes.” Frowning Renjun was now even more confused and scared. He gulped to get rid of the sudden lump in his throat. He believed that if he didn’t do anything, then he shouldn’t feel guilty. But he couldn’t help the sprout of doubt that blossomed at the back of his mind, this morning’s incident flashing quickly behind his eyelids. He couldn’t deal with both at the same time so he dismissed the thought quickly and focused on the matter at hand. “It looked… it looked like mine but I didn’t draw it. I would know if I did.” He decided to tell the two, feeling helpless.

“Have you been to the woods?” Jeno pressed the question again, adamant that he should be answered.

“I- no. No, I haven’t.” He said the words firmly, feeling kind of wronged at suddenly being interrogated. He noticed the two shared a look. Jeno had an unreadable expression on his face and Donghyuck matched it with the worry in his.

Turning to him, Donghyuck spoke cautiously. “Renjun, I don’t want to alarm you. But there was a body found in the woods last night.”

The information struck a new sense of uneasiness in Renjun, making the hand that was holding the paper tighten significantly, crumpling the sides. He didn’t want to hear it, afraid that it might confirm something he was already dreading.

Jeno continued in a low voice, eyes searching his. “It was a woman. Her body was found exactly in the state just like the sketch in your hand. Her guts spilled all over as she lied on the Nemeton.”

Renjun dropped the paper and stood up, mortified and rattled to his core. In the flurry of madness that he was in, Renjun didn’t have the time to check the local morning news, unaware of the new dead body. Hell, he didn’t even know where he was last night and that fact terrified him the most.

Because what if he…

He didn’t have the time and courage to finish the horrifying sentence in his mind, and abruptly staggered to the door.

“I need to- I need air.” Renjun said breathlessly and left the room, running away as soon as he shut the door behind him, turning deaf ears to the shouts of his name behind him.

Renjun ran out of the building, feeling slightly dizzy and moving in a daze as his feet put one in front after the other, taking him to the nearest open space possible.

The school’s soccer field. Luckily, he knew it was empty at this time of the day. His pace quickened as did his heart and breathing.

The moment he reached the grassy slope, Renjun felt his knees buckled underneath him. Shakily, he quickly sat himself down.

His mind was a whirlwind of mess and  _ what if’s.  _ Pulling his knees and arms to his chest, he curled into a ball, burying his face on his knees. Renjun held his left wrist where the tattoo of the unchanging knotted rope rested with his right and closed his eyes, trying to collect himself.

Not long after, Renjun heard foot falls behind him, followed by someone sitting down on his right side. The person didn’t talk, and Renjun appreciated the respectful silence.

“Jeno, I swear it wasn’t me.” His gaze snapped up and stared at nothing, panic and fright dimming his usually bright eyes. He couldn’t even mask the slight shake in his voice.

Jeno only copied his posture, hugging his own knees, eyes focused ahead. “I know.”

“You do?” Renjun said in a small voice, hope and uncertainty mingled in it. Then, after a beat, he turned to Jeno beside him, blinking owlishly as he whispered. “How can you be so sure it wasn’t me?”

Because if truth be told, after this morning’s incident, Renjun wasn’t even sure it  _ wasn’t _ him.

Jeno had only known him for less than a month, half of which they spent trying to avoid each other. So, how Jeno could trust Renjun’s words just like that was beyond him.

Not that Renjun did not appreciate it. Maybe because they couldn’t detect any lie in his heart beat. But what if Renjun was just a genuinely good liar? Or what if Renjun undoubtedly  _ believed _ that his truth was  _ just _ and  _ real _ but in reality, it wasn’t? Wouldn’t that be the same as not lying?

The more Renjun gave time for the doubts in his mind to fester, the more his fear that he was somehow actually connected to the murders grew rapidly, spreading wildfire inside him.

When Renjun said it, Jeno caught his gaze, steady and calm.

“Jeno, what if I did it?” Renjun whispered his doubt, voice shaking.

“Because I know you aren’t capable of doing something like that.”

Renjun couldn’t hold it in any longer, the feeling was drowning him. Jeno’s stare felt like an anchor he could hold on to. He was slowly breaking apart from all the bottled up feelings of confusion, distress, trepidation and fear. Renjun’s body was rocked with slight tremors.

Jeno looked down and without any word, he reached for Renjun’s hand that was gripping his left and forced him to let go. His left wrist was marred with a white mark that soon turned a blushing red as blood rushed to it.

He didn’t even realized how deadly his grip was to his own self until he had released it.

But Jeno noticed.

Gently, Jeno grasped his hand with his, holding it somberly. There was a slight roughness to it that brought a steadiness like a fortress that Renjun felt he could depend on. There was an infinite warmth in Jeno’s palm that offered to melt the freezing tundras in Renjun’s mind.

Renjun willingly let Jeno hold his hand as the other pulled it to himself, and let their linked fingers rest on his lap.

“Look at me, Renjun.” Renjun obeyed, turning his gaze from their linked hands to stare dazedly at the other, feeling a lot more grounded when he saw the firmness in those eyes. “I believe you. And I’m willing to help you in anyway I can. Do you want to talk about it?”

After contemplation, Renjun nodded. “I want to. But I don’t know how to start.”

Jeno nodded, squeezing his hand once. “That’s fine. I could ask you questions to help you.”

“That would be great.”

“Okay. I’m going to ask you a question now. Why do you think that you are responsible for the murders that transpired in this town for the past few weeks?”

It was quiet for a moment. Then, he answered. “I don’t know. I just… have this feeling.”

Jeno inhaled sharply. “Tell me everything.”

When Renjun opened his mouth after a while of collecting himself, he told everything from the start.

In a small voice, Renjun relayed the recent weird experiences he had had for the past month. When he mentioned the incident outside of the cafe, Jeno’s brows knitted, his lips thinning into a line but he said nothing and urged Renjun to continue.

The feeling of being watched from afar, of being followed, the presence hidden in the shadows whenever he tried to look back and search for it. This morning’s incident and the thousand voices. The cackle. The blackout.

Renjun told him about always waking up on the floor of his bedroom, admitting to the fact that he thought nothing of it until this morning, when he woke up on their living room with no recollection of what had transpired the night before.

At this point, the wolf looked shocked and disturbed. Jeno spoke up, interrupting him.

“You’ve never had this morning’s blackout before ever since the feeling of being watched started?”

“Yes, it was the first time today.”

Jeno nodded and drew hypnotic circles on the back of Renjun’s palm, seemingly overwhelmed.

“But if it was you who was responsible for the murders, we should be able to track your scent.” Jeno mused, running a hand through his hair once. “I know your scent fairly well but I could tell that you weren’t in the Preserve last night, or during the night before. I should be able to smell blood on you but you don’t even have a trace of it in your scent. Your scent had always been the same. It doesn’t make sense.”

“I agree.” Renjun said then gestured towards the direction of the building. “But let’s be honest here, the sketch, what’s been happening to me. This was really suspicious.”

“You said you didn’t draw it.” Jeno piped up.

“I didn’t. But what if I did and I just don’t remember it? What if I actually was there and saw the body? I can’t trust my mind right now when I can’t even remember what happened last night!” Renjun was getting more agitated at himself the more he tried to express his thoughts. He knew he was spouting nonsensical things out of baseless theories but he couldn’t help but overthink.

“You need to calm down first.”

“Jeno, I can’t.”

“Renjun.” Jeno called his name firmly. “You need to calm down first. There’s still no hard evidence that could put you in the scene of the crimes and all of these are still hypothetical. Until you are proven guilty, then you are innocent.”

“For how long am I going to feel this suffocating doubt in myself? I need to find out what’s been haunting me, Jeno.” Renjun said firmly. “I can’t just sit here and do nothing when I know I could do something about it.”

Jeno bit his lip. “Have you told your mom?”

“I-” Renjun was speechless. Then, with a gulp he looked down on the plot of grass near his feet. “I couldn’t.”

“You should tell her.”

“She can’t know.” He whispered. “It would kill her to know that something bad and unknown was out to get me. It would distract her from focusing on her job. Jeno, you know my mom. She would do anything to protect me even if that results in risking the job she had worked so hard for to get. It’s not easy to be a woman in that kind of work environment. But she pushed through and achieved that all by herself. I don’t want her jeopardizing her job for something uncertain.”

“But, Renjun-”

“We’d let her know once I’m sure of what my involvement in the murders was.” Renjun determinedly stated. “Until then, I hope you’d speak none of it to my mother.”

Jeno looked like he wanted to protest, his expression turning grim but he said nothing and only nodded his acquiescence. “Sure. Okay. But I need you to promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Let me help you.”

There was a fiery resolve in Jeno’s eyes that got Renjun startled. “Okay.”

“Do not do anything without telling me first, clear?”

Renjun nodded, dumbfounded at the concern in the other’s usually stoic expression. Jeno’s hand that was grasping his hand gripped tighter.

“Answer me.”

“Yes! Okay, okay.” Renjun winced. “But can you maybe loosen the hand a little? You seem to forget that I’m a fragile human and you have an incredible skill called super strength.”

Jeno’s hand immediately loosened but he didn’t let go of Renjun. Which had Renjun’s blood rushing to his cheek because he just noticed that they had been holding hands for quite some time now. He was getting used to it.

“Sorry.” Jeno muttered, schooling his expression as he turned to gaze at the front.

“That’s okay.” Renjun said after clearing his throat.

He scratched his nose with his left hand, making it more obvious that his right hand was occupied at the moment and his heart lurched a beat. Jesus, Renjun’s heart was going to give Jeno a show if this kept on going.

Not knowing how to take back his hand without offending Jeno or breaking something tangible in the air, silence stretched between the two until the school bell sounded.

At that, Jeno turned to him, eyes imploring. “Do you… want to go back?”

Renjun blinked at him. “Are you suggesting what I think you’re going to say?”

Jeno scoffed and flicked Renjun’s forehead. Using the hand that was holding Renjun’s as he finally let go. There was a small disappointment that sprouted at the back of his mind but he didn’t let it grow, instantly killing it off as soon as it appeared. Renjun’s hand was still warm and tingling.

“Idiot.”

Renjun grinned. “My, my! Jeno Lee cutting classes. What would Yeeun say?”

“Yeeun’s not my parent so I don’t care what she says.” Jeno stood up and dusted the back of his jeans before offering a hand to help Renjun up. “So? You coming or not?”

“Where would we go?” Renjun reached for the hand and Jeno pulled him up. Then, his eyes lit up. “Are you driving me in your car again?”

“Home and yes.” They started to walk towards the direction of the parking lot as Jeno played with his keys, throwing it in the air offhandedly and catching it, the sound clinking loudly.

Frowning, Renjun stopped the other from walking. “Home?” Then, he paused. “Wait. Are you sure you can skip?”

“Yes, Renjun. I only have one class left today. I could just text Donghyuck to take notes for me and bring our bags home.” Jeno shrugged, nonchalant.

“Cool. Okay.” Renjun agreed. “But why home? Your home? Or my home?”

He didn’t really have any objections to not returning inside the building since he was afraid that the horrors would just come knocking at the forefront of his mind again.

For now, Renjun could at least focus on other things besides being scared. Jeno could probably sense it and made the quick decision for him by giving him a leeway to avoid going back to the art room.

When they reached Jeno’s car, Renjun immediately hopped in the passenger’s side, marvelling at the interior of the expensive automobile, sighing in appreciation.

“Mine. We need to start looking up what’s been haunting you. We have books about supernatural creatures and events in the library at home. I imagine we could list down all the significant details from your experiences to filter the possibilities. From there, we could at least narrow down the list.” Jeno explained not long after they hit the road.

“Wait- you have a library at home?” Renjun’s eyes were wide as he stared awestruck at Jeno’s side profile. Jeno startled out a laugh.

“That’s what you got from that?”

“No. But- well, yeah. Whatever. That’s really awesome.” Renjun scratched the back of his neck. “And I think what you said was reasonable. I agree that we should start hitting the books and the internet. I want this to be over with as soon as possible.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” Jeno said softly albeit awkwardly. A small appreciative smile formed on Renjun’s lips at Jeno’s attempt in comforting him. The other coughed and changed gears. “Do you want to eat something first? We can order take outs and bring them home to eat while doing our research.”

“Burger and fries?” He said after humming. “Your library’s awesome. Food is allowed inside.”

Jeno rolled his eyes. “It’s a home library. Don’t expect something big and grand.”

“Please, your humility is misplaced. Don’t forget that I've been in your house even if it’s just for a short while and I was unconscious for the better part of it. But still. Your house is big and spacious. It shouldn’t even be called a house. It’s a mansion. I’m excited to see your library.”

“You’re just setting yourself up for disappointment.”

“You’ve never been able to disappoint me so far so I doubt that.”

When he realized the string of words that came out of his lips, Renjun almost slapped a hand on his mouth. He only managed to stop himself from doing so for the lone reason that it would only make the statement even more profound than it already was in the following silence that fell upon the car.

Then, he heard Jeno sniggered on the driver’s seat and the awkward silence was broken. Renjun groaned and closed his eyes, embarrassment filling him to the brim as he slumped to the seat. He hoped the leather seat would just eat him alive. Or that Jeno would just crash the car and kill him in the process. Anything was better in that moment than just sitting, wallowing in his shame.

“Shut up.” Renjun mumbled, puffing his cheeks in annoyance because he could feel Jeno’s shit eating grin even if his eyes were focused on the interesting blur outside the window.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Exactly. It’s much worse.”

“You’re being ridiculous.” Jeno shook his head, smile still on his lips.

_ “You’re _ being ridiculous.” Renjun stubbornly said, pouting and still refusing to look at Jeno. His cheeks were probably the colour of cherry at this point.

Jeno sighed and mumbled to himself, shaking his head. “I’m with a child.”

Renjun just buried himself in his seat even more, letting Jeno think what he wanted to think because he didn’t have any energy to deny anything when he had been caught red-handed kind-of-praising the lycan.

Fortunately, shortly after that they pulled over by a fast food joint with a drive thru and ordered some food to take home for their impromptu research-slash-investigation session, the awkwardness that he was feeling was finally diffused.

The Lee house was relatively empty when they arrived, considering that it was only past lunch and the adult pack members were all at work.

After listening in, Jeno told him that it was only Jisung who was sleeping in his room inside the house other than them. They quickly made way to the library and Renjun was  _ not _ disappointed with what he saw.

The room was grand, complete with floor to ceiling shelves that were filled with books. There were tables where you could read and even couches were you could lounge. The room was well-lit with it’s huge windows letting in the natural light from the outside. It was like a scene straight out of a movie.

“Close your mouth. It’s not that impressive.” Jeno reminded him as he placed the food on one of the tables near the window.

Narrowing his eyes, Renjun huffed. “Says the one who owns a library that could fit my entire house in it.”

“It’s not my fault I’m rich.” Jeno said, blinking innocently.

Renjun’s mouth slackened. “You are such an asshole.”

At that, Jeno bursted out laughing. “I’m joking. I’m joking! Your house isn’t bad, stop belittling it. It’s cozy and peaceful. Come on, have a seat and let’s eat while we’re making that list. I’m starving.”

Renjun went to sit beside Jeno but not without hitting the other first with the nearest book he could pick up. The other only laughed at him which then made Renjun smile because Jeno’s laugh was contagious and wonderful to hear.

They started to eat. Jeno had three burgers and two large fries while Renjun only had one of each. Wolves and their appetite, Renjun could only stare in horror as Jeno devoured those carbs faster than Renjun could finish his own food.

While they eat, they discussed and made a list of the common denominators that Renjun could find and remember in his recent experiences. He was kind of surprised that he didn’t feel that much scared as he recalled the recent events. Maybe, because he felt safe at the moment. With a newfound courage, Renjun jotted down dutifully.

In the end, the two came up with a short list.

Shadows, a presence watching him, the Preserve, body exhaustion, and possible blackouts.

“It’s still broad and would give us more work than I expected, but it’s a start.” Jeno pondered out loud after looking at what Renjun had written. He nodded solemnly, feeling somewhat dispirited that they were about this close to hitting a dead end and they hadn’t even officially started reading the books yet.

“I’m sorry it’s not that helpful.” Renjun sighed, looking dejected.

“Don’t say that. We could look up lores from this already.” Jeno then stood up and went to fetch some books from the shelves before coming back and placing them on the table in between the two so they could share. “Anything would help your situation so don’t look so down and start reading.”

Renjun winced, looking at the stacks of books that Jeno had placed before him. Without much further ado, the two hit the books with determination set in their shoulders.

A few minutes had passed when Renjun jumped in his seat, his phone ringing loudly in the silence. Seeing that it was Jaemin, he answered it.

_ “Donghyuck told me that I should call you. Care to tell me why?”  _ Jaemin greeted him. He was at a loss of words for a moment, puzzled why Donghyuck would do something of the sort. Before he could say anything in response, though, Jaemin spoke again, but this time his voice was serious and gentle, filled with masked worry.  _ “Is everything alright, Renjun?”  _ His bestfriend sighed.

_ “I know there’s something wrong. Don’t take me for a fool. We’ve been friends for almost all of our lives. I  _ know _ you. I didn’t want to pry since it’s your business and you usually tell me about it after a few days but it’s been weeks. I’m worried.” _

Jaemin’s words and tentative tone broke Renjun’s heart. With all of the things that had been bothering him and taking all of his attention and time, he had forgotten the fact that he had always shared his worries with Jaemin.

Renjun had failed to realize that the change in his behavior didn’t go unnoticed by Jaemin, causing the other’s deep concern to fester until he couldn’t take it anymore and finally spoke up about it. Donghyuck, with the knowledge of what he knew about what was happening with Renjun, had probably felt the same and thought that it was best for Renjun to talk about it with someone he knew.

When all of this started, he knew that he had to tell Jaemin someday. He was prepared for that day to come. Except that even though he knew his lies and secret would eventually come to light, Renjun couldn’t find the right time to spill everything to his bestfriend.

Words that seemed too heavy to tell over the phone filled his head and he knew it wasn’t the right time to spill.

In the end, Renjun decided that he would tell Jaemin. But it would have to be done in person. 

_ “Renjun?” _

“Yeah, I’m here.” Renjun cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for making you worry, Jaem. But I promise I will tell you everything.”

_ “Renjun, you can’t say that and not tell me immediately.”  _ Jaemin  _ tsk-ed  _ over the line, sounding frustrated.  _ “I respect your privacy, I really do. But Donghyuck said you almost had a panic attack today.” _

At that, Renjun winced. “I know, I know. I’m alright now so you can stop worrying. I’m going to explain everything in person. It’s just too long and complicated to tell over a phone conversation.”

_ “When?” _ Jaemin asked impatiently.

“Jaem, let’s talk about this after your birthday, okay? I don’t want to ruin your party tomorrow. After that, I promise, you can come over to my house. Or we can meet wherever and whenever you’re free. I’ll tell you everything.” Renjun said, a little nervous over his decision, but decided that yes, he needed to do this. That seemed to appease Jaemin, and promised that he would be over some time within the week.

When the call ended, Renjun sighed and caught Jeno’s calming gaze. Suddenly, he felt his anxiousness subside.

“You’re gonna tell him?” Jeno asked, voice steady.

Renjun nodded. “Yes. I can’t keep hiding it from Jaemin. It doesn’t sit well with me. He’s like my brother. Lying to him felt the same as lying to my mom since he’s practically family.”

Humming, Jeno brought a hand and tucked a stray strand of Renjun’s hair behind his ear. The action was comforting and familiar. Renjun didn’t stop him. He found out sooner than he wanted that he didn’t have to because Jeno’s hand retreated to his own person, a gentle somber look crossing on his face.

“I’m sorry I threatened you to lie for me before. I won’t do it again.” Jeno said, eyes downcast and guilty.

Renjun shook his head. “It’s okay. I understand that you have yourself and your pack to protect. It’s not easy to trust a stranger over your family’s... secret.”

It was Renjun’s real feelings towards the situation. He perfectly understood why Jeno had to do what he had to do back then. If he was in the wolf’s shoes, he would also be cautious and wary, distrustful towards any humans or anyone at all until he was proven wrong. 

In retrospect, Renjun knew he would never truly be able to understand what it was like to be in Jeno’s position being a supernatural in a world full of prejudice and people with an inherent fear for the peculiar, but he could sympathize in some way.

Jeno inclined his head to the side, seeming to listen in on something outside, cutting off their conversation completely. Renjun just watched him as the other’s gaze snap to the door, expression schooled into nonchalance again. Not long after, the door opened and came in Yeeun, looking a little bit tired despite her usually sunny disposition.

“There you are.” Yeeun exclaimed with a sigh. She skipped towards their table, sitting in front of Jeno. “My dear brother, you’re looking so very handsome today.”

Jeno narrowed his eyes. “Do you need anything? I don’t have much time, I have a guest.”

Yeeun pouted and turned to Renjun. “I’m so envious of you. You don’t have a sibling as rude as this one here.”

Renjun let out a startled laugh. From his past encounters with the Lee siblings, the two seemed to enjoy the savage banters. Going back and forth like cat and mouse, he had already surmised that even though the two wolves don’t say it outloud, they both care about one another deeply.

Also, Renjun enjoyed watching the two exchange verbal jabs at each other. It was a very fun thing to witness. Contrary to popular belief, it even made Renjun want to have a sibling even more.

“Hi, Yeeun.” Renjun greeted with a grin. Yeeun returned the pleasantry.

“I wish you’re my brother instead.” Yeeun said with a sigh.

“I’m still here, you know?” Jeno grunted. Then, his face turned serious. “Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be talking with the pack from Fairview Hills today?”

Renjun felt his hand twitch in recognition. If he remembered correctly, the pack that was in the next town over was the pack that housed the feral werewolf who chased him in the Preserve. Curious, he wondered how that meeting had went.

Yeeun straightened in her seat, humming as she waved a dismissive hand. “Yeah. That’s already done. I just need you to do something for me.”

Frowning, Jeno glanced at Renjun before focusing on his older sister again. “Can’t it wait?”

Yeeun grimaced. “Not really. Just go to Johnny’s clinic. He’s already expecting you, anyway. It will be quick, don’t worry.”

Looking reluctant, Jeno was about to say something when Renjun cut him off.

“Oh, don’t worry, I could leave. We can continue this some other time.”

“Oh you don’t have to. Stay for dinner!” Yeeun stopped Renjun from getting up, looking really hopeful. “Please, stay for dinner.”

“Uhm…” Renjun was conflicted, looking between the two. Jeno didn’t say anything and was also waiting for his answer so he guessed that it was okay for him to acquiesce to Yeeun’s invitation. “Well, I guess I could stay.”

Yeeun brightened up. “Great! I’ll wait with you until Jeno comes back. You won’t even notice he’s gone.”

“Fine. I’m leaving” Jeno bit reluctantly, standing up because Yeeun practically didn’t give him any other choice. After all, she was still his Alpha. The boy looked at Renjun, seeming to contemplate his next words. “I’ll be back.”

Renjun nodded. “Okay. I’ll be here.”

Jeno left without another word. Renjun didn’t pry what he was going to do in Johnny’s place. It wasn’t his business to do so. He wasn’t pack, Renjun reminded himself.

“You’re curious, aren’t you?” Yeeun asked after a while, eyes twinkling with mischief as she rested her chin on her palm.

Renjun jerked at that, slightly startled at how similar the action was to Jeno’s. Maybe it was a Lee thing. Clearing his throat, Renjun scratched his cheek, feeling a little embarrassed at having been caught.

“Was I too obvious?” 

“Yes. You have this look on your face. It’s cute. Like a confused rabbit.” Yeeun scrunched her nose, then she grinned. “It’s nothing important, actually. I just left my phone at Johnny’s after the meeting with the pack. I happen to want to talk to you. Then, I found out that you’re conveniently here. So, I sent Jeno to a little errand.”

Speechless, Renjun stared at the wolfish grin of the girl in front of him. He ended up shaking his head with a small smile.

“You’re going to be Jeno’s death.”

Yeeun chuckled. “Renjun, that’s what siblings are for. If we aren’t being annoying to each other, God knows we’re both gonna go mental.”

“So, what do you want to talk about with me?” Renjun saw no reason to dilly dally seeing as how they were on borrowed time before Jeno comes back.

“I wanted to tell you personally that we escorted Mikhail back to his pack this morning. We’re going to have a joint investigation about the attack on him. However, he’s still unstable when we handed him back, but that’s his Alpha’s job now. We explained to them what happened. You don’t have to worry about that anymore.” Yeeun’s voice was gentle and cautious, her expression grave.

Renjun paused. He guessed that Mikhail was the name of the feral werewolf. Putting a name to the monster from his past humanized him, Renjun realized. Looking down, he didn’t know what else to say. At the same time, he was glad that one of his niggling worries was finally mollified. Literally out of this town and out of his mind.

But somehow, it didn’t feel like it’s over yet. Maybe he was still reeling from the fact that Mikhail was this close to killing him over a misunderstanding. Or that Mikhail’s attacker could be connected to the murders and what was happening with Renjun. He was feeling out of his depth.

Yeeun reached out a hand, gently patting his. Only then did he realized that he was picking at the skin on his thumb, a bad habit he had picked up on when he was feeling upset. He stopped and looked up. Yeeun had a frown on her face.

“Are you okay?”

Renjun considered lying. But then he thought better of it and shook his head. “I’m feeling a little out of it today.” He tried to give her a smile but ended up wincing. “I’m sorry if this wasn’t the reaction you’re expecting. But I am thankful to have heard what you said, I really am. I’m just… I don’t know how to take the news.”

Squeezing his hand once, Yeeun spoke. “Renjun, you don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know that I’m doing my best to protect this town so that you’ll feel safe in it. I know your mom is the sheriff, but it’s my job as the alpha to secure your safety from supernatural threats.”

At that, Renjun finally mustered a genuine smile, settling on the feeling of gratefulness in the meantime.

“Thank you, Yeeun.”

“You’re welcome.” Returning his smile, she went back to resting her chin in her palm, noticing the stacks of books in between them. “What were you two up to, anyway? These books are all monster lores.”

“Oh. Just for research.” Renjun said. “Jeno mentioned that you had a library and I got curious.”

Yeeun paused. “Wait. Isn’t it still class hours for Jeno? I paid for his tuition and he’s cutting classes now? That little shit-”

Eyes widening, Renjun’s hands flailed. “It’s my fault! I asked to go.”

“You know I could tell that you’re lying right?” Yeeun narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Renjun and he froze. Shit. Wolves and their stupid lie detecting ability. But before Renjun could come up with an explanation, Yeeun burst out laughing from her seat, leaving him stumped. “It’s okay, Renjun. It doesn’t matter what Jeno does. He can handle himself. I assume he has a good enough reason for cutting classes this time. He usually doesn’t do it so I’ll allow him just this once.”

Relieved, Renjun released the breath he was holding in, not sure whether to laugh or cry. He winced.

“I’m sorry, I can’t tell you the reason but I want you to know that it really is my fault we’re here. Jeno’s just being a good friend.”

“I kind of figured that one out.” Yeeun then leaned in, eyes unreadable. Renjun felt unnerved. “How’s Jeno, anyway?”

Blinking, Renjun was dumbfounded at the sudden question. “What do you mean?”

Yeeun pursed her lips. “Well, you’re the first friend he invited home after so many years. It’s a little curious, isn’t it?”

The first friend Jeno brought home after so many years? Renjun was surprised at this newfound information. Knowing that Jeno wasn’t really good at first impressions and communicating, he shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was at that time.

But Renjun was still speechless. And he felt proud.

Somehow, Jeno thought him trustworthy enough to show this side of himself to Renjun. He didn’t know Jeno that much yet, but Renjun felt that bringing him home must have been significant for the other. He just wasn’t sure how much until Yeeun dropped the offhanded comment.

“He’s… okay.” Renjun started. “I mean, honestly speaking, we really didn’t hit it off to a great start but our friendship has gotten better over time.”

“Yep. That sounds like my brother.” Yeeun nodded. “He warms up slower to people than everyone unlike Donghyuck. Just give him time, Renjun. He’s...”

But the girl trailed after, unsure whether to continue her sentence. A flash of sadness passed by her eyes before she blinked it away. Renjun tilted his head to the side.

“He’s what?”

Yeeun looked like she was considering her options before she spoke. “Have you heard of the stories surrounding the Nemeton years before it got cut off?”

Unsure where this was going, Renjun felt his brows meet. “I’ve heard some of them. Why?”

Yeeun looked down with a bitter smile on her face, fingers crossing atop the table as if what she was about to say was something she was reluctant to remember, but felt like she needed to still speak about.

“There was a lycan girl who fell in love with a hunter years ago. Fortunately for the girl, this hunter’s family was radicalized and campaigned for the New Code.  _ Only hunt those who hunt the innocents. _ They fell in love and their families supported them completely despite the fact that most of their kinds had raised eyebrows with their union. This couple ended up marrying and having kids. They lived happily and harmoniously for years with the kids growing up immensely loved and well cared for.”

“One day, there was news of a supernatural wreaking havoc in the girl’s pack’s turf. You have to know that the lycan girl have to check it out, she was the Alpha of her pack. She has a responsibility to protect the pack and of course, her family, in case it was something really dangerous. Obviously, being a skilled hunter, her husband came with her to check the incident out. The two went together alone, thinking that they would come back just in time for dinner that day. They didn’t.”

Renjun’s lips parted as he released a breath. He didn’t know what to say. It felt as if he had heard this story before, but only in bits and rough pieces. Like a jagged puzzle that was supposed to fit, but since it’s contour was magnanimously altered, it still couldn’t fit.

“Do you know why they didn’t make it back?”

Yeeun turned to gaze at Renjun, searching his face as if she would find the answer she wanted there. But she wasn’t really asking Renjun, no. And he didn’t dare to say anything.

Indeed, it was a rhetorical question, because Yeeun already had the answer prepared. It was just that it wasn’t the answer she wanted.

“Because their bodies were staked on a tree while their heads were left on the floor beneath their feet.”

Renjun gasped. This was why the story felt somewhat familiar. Because out of the legends surrounding the Nemeton, the story of the hanged bodies on the tree was the one that caught his attention the most. However, Yeeun had told it in such a new perspective, added details to the obscure hearsays that it threw Renjun out of the loop.

Dread numbed his fingers as an idea popped inside his head.

Jeno had never mentioned his parents before, nor Renjun had heard anyone talk about them in his vicinity.

“Yeeun…” Renjun started, feeling a lump form in his throat. “Are you saying…”

A sad smile clouded Yeeun’s usual light. “Yes. They’re my parents, Renjun. Mine and Jeno’s. I was thirteen, then. Jeno was only nine.”

“Why are you telling me this?” He inquired in a small voice, his heart in a tempest.

Jeno was so young when he lost his parents in such a horrible way. Renjun felt angered at the fact that these two siblings that he had come to adore, had experienced something so terrible.

At the same time, Renjun felt sad. Because Jeno and Yeeun were unjustly robbed of the family and childhood they deserved to have.

“Do you know why it’s blue? The eyes of Jeno’s wolf, that is.” Yeeun wistfully asked.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Renjun felt his heart falter. This was something he had been avoiding all this time after that one night he had looked up lycanthropy and wicca.

Because each color of wolves’ eyes meant something for each wolf.

The color red was for an Alpha, the rarest and most revered kind. The golden yellow color indicated that someone was a beta wolf, the most populous kind. Lastly, wolves who had electric blue eyes meant that they had killed an innocent.

Jeno’s electric blue eyes had showed so much warmth and calmness to Renjun that he was so sure of the fact that the wolf must have had a reason behind the sinful color.

“Did he… kill someone?” Renjun whispered, afraid of the answer. But Yeeun shook her head.

“No. He hasn’t. Well, at least not someone who’s innocent.”

“Then, why…”

“Because it’s not a matter of killing someone innocent or not. It’s something more complicated than that. The change in the color of a wolf’s eyes reflect our very soul. Killing someone, regardless of their innocence, could turn our eyes blue, because killing takes something from us too, a piece of ourselves, no matter how little. The change happens depending more on how we feel about the loss of life rather than the killing itself. And our parents’ deaths… it did something to Jeno.” Yeeun took a deep breath, looking pained.

“When we heard the news of our parents being found in the Preserve, we rushed to the scene and no one was able to stop us. Two little kids seeing their parents eviscerated like that... it turned Jeno’s eyes blue, feeling the blatant loss of our parents. He was just nine, but Jeno had always been smarter than anyone for his age. He knew what was happening. It took so much from him that seeing them like that broke something inside.”

“How come your eyes didn’t turn blue?” Renjun blurted out.

Yeeun stared at him for a second. “Because at the same time that my brother’s eyes had turned blue, everyone who was present in the clearing saw how mine had turned red.”

Overwhelmed, Renjun couldn’t help but feel crushed over the tragedy from their past. Yeeun had inherited the Alpha powers when her mother died, being the closest blood kin. She was thirteen when she became an Alpha, Renjun couldn’t even begin to imagine how huge of a toll that took from Yeeun. At thirteen years old, the girl had to shoulder the responsibility of leading an entire pack and the death of her parents.

It was a lot to take in. He felt sick thinking about it. No words could ever nullify how cataclysmic that incident was for the two young siblings.

“Your mom is your Alpha. And when she passed…” Renjun bit the inside of his cheek, feeling aggrieved for the siblings’ tragic story. He didn’t really know what to say, but he felt that he had to apologize. “I’m sorry.”

Yeeun sighed deeply, then smiled a little too forced and bright for the dampened atmosphere. “You don’t have to. In fact, I’m glad that Jeno had made a friend in you. He had become really quiet after that incident. It was worrying how he had kept to himself all these years, only allowing pack members to see this unguarded side of him. Even if it was little by little, I’m glad he opened up to you.”

“It’s nothing, Yeeun. Jeno’s a great friend. He saved me when I first met him and I think that says a lot about him as a person.”

Patting his hand that was on the table, Yeeun looked genuinely hopeful. “Thank you for being his friend, really. You’re a good kid, Renjun. I know Jeno could be difficult sometimes, but I hope that you and him would only continue to get along from now on.”

Nodding, Renjun assured Yeeun by squeezing her hand once, grinning. “You don’t have to ask me of that, I’m already planning to.”

The atmosphere had finally gone lighter and not long after that, Jeno barged his way in the library, red in the face as he throw Yeeun’s phone at her, which she easily caught, fuming at how annoying his sister tricked him into being an errand boy.

Yeeun just laughed at his face before getting up, reminding them about dinner in an hour. She left with a knowing wink at Renjun that made him feel a little flustered for some reason.

Jeno was still grumbling when he went back to his seat. “She’s so annoying.”

“Your sister is amazing.” Renjun turned to him, feeling a little somber as he stare at Jeno.

Knowing what he knew now, he suddenly had the urge to embrace the other, tell him how he well he did after all these years. Renjun had this newfound admiration and respect for Jeno. If not for the fact that hugging the other would’ve been weird and out of place, Renjun would’ve done it.

But he stopped himself shortly, hand only twitching in want.

The dinner went smoothly, to Renjun’s surprise. Obviously, he met the pack, or at least some of them. The pack was curious about him, asking him questions but mostly, they welcomed him warmly. In no time, Renjun had found himself laughing along with them, making light conversations here and there.

Particularly, he liked Jisung, the lycan who was with the Lee siblings during the feral werewolf fiasco. The kid was quiet and awkward at most, clumsy and shy, but it was endearing. Renjun felt like he had found a little brother in him.

Renjun found out that the Lee pack was comprised of different beings and blood relatives. Lycans, mostly, but some of them were humans and other supernatural creatures. At least, the bunch Renjun had met were.

He was surprised to find out that Donghyuck, even though he was blood related to the Lee’s, was born human. He only asked for the bite last year, when he had turned eighteen.

Jeno explained to him that it could happen. Lycan parents could have a human child. The wolf gene was completely by chance. And because Donghyuck was born in a lycan family, he was given a choice if he wanted to stay human, or become a wolf. He chose the latter.

The food was delicious and the conversations even more. To his dismay, it was over too quickly and Renjun had to go home. He had to reach home soon if he wanted to meet his mom before she goes to work for night duty.

Both parties reluctantly bid their farewells, Esther, the cook and Jeno and Yeeun’s aunt, had made him promise to come over again anytime soon and Renjun wholeheartedly accepted the invitation. 

Jeno drove him home. He felt satisfied and full, happy even.

It was not really how he had expected this day to go considering that the realization that  _ something bad _ was undoubtedly happening to him had come to light only just this morning, Renjun had Jeno to thank for the distraction.

They spent the whole day together, so when it was time for the two to say goodbye, Renjun was hesitant, not really wanting to part. He felt safe with Jeno. And with his mother leaving for the station soon, Renjun’s fear of being alone with himself was slowly coming back.

However, even if he wanted to ask Jeno to stay, he didn’t know how to say it. Thus, he didn’t, and Jeno left with a wave of goodbye, speeding off into the road after Renjun had locked the door behind him.

“Oh, good you’re here.” His mother had greeted him. She was in her uniform, readying to go outside to ride her cruiser to the station. “Have you had dinner yet?”

“Yeah. I ate at the Lee’s.” Renjun simply answered, watching his mother put on her shoes in the foyer.

“Was that Jeno who dropped you off?” She asked, tone teasing and eyebrows wiggling.

Renjun scoffed. “Yes. Of course he would drive me home. They live so far from the road and it was dark. I’d be mad to walk from there to here.”

“Sure, sure.” She stood up, grinning suggestively. Heran kissed his forehead before picking up her keys on the bowl. “But if you got hungry, there’s food in the refrigerator. Just heat it up, okay? I’ll be going. Lock the doors and windows. Call me if you need anything.”

“Yes, mom. Now, go. You’ll be late for work.”

“I’m the Sheriff, I’m allowed to be late for work.”

“That’s such a lazy cop excuse, mom.” Renjun rolled his eyes. 

“I love you!” Heran pinched his cheeks. Renjun only hummed which made Heran sport an affronted look. “Hey! Say it back or I’ll never leave.”

“Love you, too.” He grumbled before waving her goodbye and locking up after Heran who was grinning from ear to ear.

*

Jaemin’s birthday party was in full swing the moment Renjun had stepped foot inside the house. A lot of people were already laughing boisterously, slightly tipsy with red cups in their hands. Most of them went to their school, classmates and schoolmates. Some of them clapped Renjun at the back and he replied with a nod.

Renjun wasn’t really a party person, but his friends were. Especially, Jaemin since the other was such a sociable person. Hence, the reason why almost all their school’s population were inside the Na’s house tonight.

But that wasn’t the reason why Renjun was excited. Tonight, his friends all gathered to celebrate his bestfriend’s birthday. For the first time after summer break, they were going to meet again.

“Have you seen Jaemin?” Renjun shouted at a familiar face.

“Hey, Renjun!” The girl gestured towards the kitchen. “I think I saw him in the kitchen with Lucas.”

“Thanks! You look really great tonight!” Renjun waved the girl farewell and waddled through the bodies in the corridor to look for his friends.

When he arrived in the kitchen, some people were taking tequila shots on the table and behind them, Renjun saw a bleary eyed Jaemin, yelling his cheers with a party hat on.

Renjun suddenly felt nervous. But when he saw his bestfriend’s welcoming smile, the feeling dissipated as soon as it made its presence known. For a quick moment, he had thought that Jaemin would insist on talking to him about what Renjun had been keeping from him, but he was proven wrong.

Appeased, Renjun chuckled and shook his head before making his way to the other side. 

“Renjun!” Jaemin shouted, throwing himself on him. Seemed like Jaemin already had a lot of drinks tonight. “You finally came! I thought you were going to ditch me on my birthday and I was sad.”

“Idiot. You didn’t look sad just a while ago.” Then, Renjun flicked Jaemin’s forehead. “Happy birthday, bud.”

“Thanks. I was sad on the inside.”

Renjun snorted and pushed Jaemin’s octopus-like limbs away from him but before he could make a retort, a weight lumped behind him that had him stumbling forward. He looked back and saw Lucas grinning from ear to ear.

“You’re late, dude!” Lucas said as a greeting. The young man handed him a red cup. “Here. Start your night already. You gotta catch up. Jaemin’s already drunk.”

“Hey!” Jaemin protested. “Well, whatever. I don’t care. It’s my birthday and I’m supposed to get pissed drunk by the end of it, anyway.”

“Yeah and you’re heavy, Lucas. Get off me, you giant.” Renjun accepted the drink and took a sip, both of them completely ignoring Jaemin. He winced. “This shit tastes nasty.”

Lucas shrugged, getting off Renjun’s back to move on to Jaemin’s side. Jaemin immediately wrapped his arms on Lucas’ arm like a snake, grinning like an idiot, content with having to get someone else to support his weight.

“Who cares? As long as it does the job. They would all taste the same when you’re drunk, anyway.”

“Is that a tattoo on your wrist?” Jaemin grabbed Renjun’s hand to inspect the magical link that Johnny had put on him.

“Oh… uh. Yeah. I got it more than a week ago.” He internally cursed. He forgot that he had that. Anyway, it didn’t matter since the tattoo looked ordinary. He could easily make up excuses.

“What does it mean?” Lucas asked, curious as he leaned in to check it out.

“Nothing. I just felt like getting it.” Humming as he took his hand away from the two’s piercing gazes, Renjun looked around and changed the topic. “Where’re the others?”

“Chenle’s in the pool and Xiaojun should be manning the keg now since Lucas is here.” Jaemin piped up. “Hey! You want shots? We should have shots!” Before Lucas and Renjun could make anymore moves, Jaemin had already went to the counter to fetch a bottle of tequila and a shot glass, already pouring some liquid for a shot.

A little relieved that his friends didn’t press the topic about the tattoo any further, Renjun could breathe easily. Shaking his head, he turned turned to Lucas.

“He’s drunk.”

Lucas laughed. “Yes, he is. That’s why Xiaojun and I had been alternating on baby-sitting him and manning the keg. Don’t want Jaemin doing something he’d regret on his birthday.”

“He’d regret getting drunk on tequila tomorrow morning.” Renjun said.

“And vodka.” Lucas only rolled his eyes at Renjun’s mixed expression of mortification and disgust. “Don’t be surprise. We both know he’s like a trigger happy with alcohol. He’d been switching between the two while you still weren’t here.”

“Jaemin would die without you.”

Lucas grinned. “Thanks.”

“I’m still his bestfriend, though.” Renjun narrowed his eyes meaningfully at his tall friend.

“I know.” Lucas shrugged as he watched Jaemin stagger his way back to them with an unreadable expression. “I don’t want to be his bestfriend, anyway.”

“Jesus, Jaemin.” Renjun muttered when Jaemin finally got back to them, eyes red rimmed as he shoved the shot glass on him, spilling a little. Lucas was instantly beside Jaemin, steadying him with a hand on his elbow.

“Come on drink up.” Jaemin slurred with a grin.

Renjun accepted the shot glass and drank it in one go. The liquid burning his insides like melted fire. He picked up a lemon on the plate that Lucas offered him, where the other had gotten it, he didn’t know, and sucked on the fruit.

This went on for a while. The three of them taking shots after shots, chatting and catching up with each other. Soon, Chenle joined them, drenched from head to toe without a care in the world and Lucas excused himself to change places with Xiaojun.

Renjun was feeling a little hotter than before. He was certain that his cheeks had turned crimson because of the alcohol. Sweat had made the shirt on his back stick like second skin.

The slight dullness on his head had already started to fester, a telltale sign that Renjun was slightly drunk. Not to mention that he was feeling a lot looser than when he first arrived, laughing at anything his friends say.

Not long after, Renjun had excused himself to go to the bathroom to relieve the strain in his bladder. It was kind of a long trip not because he had a lot to release, but because there was a line in the bathroom.

The party was really packed and everyone was either drunk or passed out somewhere by now.

Seriously, Renjun hoped that Jaemin won’t be scolded by his parents for inviting so much.

When he came back to where his friends were, he was a little surprised to see Donghyuck mingling and laughing with his friends beside Jaemin. Renjun tilted his head. If Donghyuck was here, he wondered if-

“Hey.”

_ What was the saying again? Speak of the devil and he shall appear? _

Renjun turned around, a smile unconsciously brightening his face. “Hey, yourself.”

Jeno tilted his head to the side, looking at him from head to toe with an intensity he wasn’t used to. Renjun gulped, feeling a little bare with Jeno’s eyes on him.

Suddenly, he felt conscious of what he looked at the moment. It wasn’t like he dressed up today, he was just wearing a simple white shirt tucked at the front of his dark jeans. He looked like his usual self. Well, maybe his cheeks were flushed, lips a little bit fuller and redder than before from drinking. But that was about the change Renjun could think about.

For a quick moment, Renjun thought he saw Jeno’s eyes linger on those lips.

“You’re drunk.” Jeno finally said.

Renjun was speechless for a moment. Then, he startled out a laugh.

So, that was what Jeno was noticing. The wolf had never seen him inebriated before. Here, Renjun thought there was something wrong in his clothes.

“Obviously, you idiot. It’s my bestfriend’s party.” Renjun gestured lazily to where his friends and Donghyuck were. “I’m glad Jaemin invited you two!”

Jeno lifted a shoulder. “Jaemin invited Donghyuck and extended the invite to me. I didn’t want to be rude so I’m here.”

“Still. I’m glad you came.” He said with a grin, blinking slowly and feeling his body sway in his spot without his permission.

With the newfound bravery he got form the alcohol, Renjun grabbed Jeno’s wrist, tugging the wolf with him as he clumsily went back to their spot.

When they got there, he quickly exchanged greetings with Donghyuck, making sure that Jeno was properly introduced to his friends even though everyone had said that they already met Jeno when the two arrived while he was in the bathroom.

With a pout, Renjun sat on the counter a little to the side. Jeno followed him without a word, nursing a red cup in his hand that he didn’t notice before.

“What are you drinking?” Renjun asked when he got comfortable on his seat, leaning in on Jeno’s shoulders to take a peek at the cup. Inside was a clear liquid. “Vodka?”

Jeno snorted, staring at the cup for a moment before he turned to Renjun. “No. Water.”

At first, he thought the other was only joking. But Jeno looked serious, his eyes were staring at Renjun’s like they were trying to bare his very soul naked. Only then did Renjun notice that their faces were too close, so he turned to avoid his gaze and cleared his throat.

Before Jeno could say anything, Renjun took the cup in his hand and sipped the drink. Confirming that it was, indeed, nothing but water, he gave the cup back to the other who had an amused lilt on his lips as he watched Renjun.

Affronted, he frowned as he straightened in his seat. “Why? It’s a party, Jeno. Loosen up, will you? Drinks are free.”

“I can’t get drunk. So, I don’t bother. I’ll leave the alcohol to those who want it.” Jeno handed the red cup of water to Renjun again. It was still a little full and looked like Jeno hadn’t drank a single sip from it, now that Renjun was paying more attention. “Drink that. You need it more than me.”

Renju obediently drank, licking his lips after downing half of it. He leaned in to Jeno again, feeling a little woozy at the action and almost falling face down if not for Jeno holding him steady, making him sit properly on the counter.

Whispering, Renjun blinked. “Is it a wolf thing?”

“Yeah. We can’t get drunk.” Jeno said turning to him fully, hand light on one of Renjun’s arms, carefully holding him in place. “Something to do with our fast regenerative abilities.”

“That sucks. I’m so sorry.”

Renjun pouted. And patted Jeno’s hair.

Jeno looked shocked at the gesture, his lips parted in confusion. Renjun just thought he was cute and giggled. Like this, Jeno was a lot similar to the black wolf that Renjun had petted in the Preserve.

From the other end of their little group, Renjun heard Donghyuck snigger but paid it no mind. Sighing wistfully, he just continued to pat the other’s head, softly mumbling how adorable he was.

Embarrassed, Jeno just gently took Renjun’s hand from his head and hold on to it, probably to stop the unnecessary petting. However, though he was disappointed that he couldn’t touch the other’s soft hair anymore, Renjun found satisfaction with his hand on Jeno’s.

Jeno’s hand was warm and firm against his. Renjun marvelled at the feeling.

Between the two of them, not one bothered to let go, holding each other’s hands like they had been doing it for a long time. Everything just felt natural in that moment.

Music was still rudely blasting from the speakers, making Renjun’s head throbbed. Briefly, he wondered how no one had reported them yet. Groaning, Renjun massaged his temple with his free hand. Not risking moving his other one that was still trapped in Jeno’s securing hand.

“The music is too loud. How do you cope with it? It must be pretty deafening for you.”

“We can tune it out, you know.” Jeno chanced a glance to his friends before he turned back to him, lowering his voice so that only Renjun could hear him. “It gets better the more you have control over the wolf.”

Renjun tilted his head, letting out a hum. “So, why didn’t you just tuned out the couple in the library that day?”

“What couple?” Jeno questioned, distracted on making Renjun drink water again. Which, Renjun did without any protest.

Where he was getting the water, he didn’t care, he was too busy memorizing the structure of Jeno’s face, the way his lips move when he talks, the way the shades of shadows change when he moves, the way his eyes never left his.

Renjun felt hypnotized.

“You know… that couple. The reason why you were in the art room on the first day I saw you there.”

Busy sipping from his red cup and mind too fogged from alcohol, Renjun failed to notice Jeno’s silence at first. When he did, he just saw the other looking a little flushed, cherried on the cheeks.

At the sight of the other flustered, Renjun felt a surge of confidence rushed through his veins in his inebriated state, coquettish excitement making his eyes brim brightly.

Smirking, Renjun raised an eyebrow teasingly. “You have anything to say for yourself, Jeno?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Sure, it is.”

Jeno rolled his eyes. “It’s true. It’s harder to tune out if the sound is happening in the flesh. Music is okay since the sound would always come from an artificial source.”

“But you could tune it out, yes?” He blinked too innocently. Jeno seemed to open his mouth for another protest but thought better of it and decided to just acquiesce.

“Yeah.” Jeno sighed. “Yes, I could tune it out even then.”

At the defeated tone of the other’s voice, Renjun found himself giggling. He was feeling inexplicably giddy inside. There was a warm feeling that fluttered differently from before.

This time, the warm feeling that spread inside him wasn’t induced by alcohol.

“That’s all I need to know.”

“Wipe that smug look off your face. It doesn’t suit you.” Jeno scoffed but a telltale sign of a smile was shadowing his lips. He then proceeded to finally let go of his hand to flick Renjun’s forehead. He was slightly disappointed at that fact, but he tried not to show it on his face. Renjun’s hand suddenly felt cold.

Feigning hurt, Renjun clutched the front of his own shirt. “What? This is my normal face. How dare you.”

They continue to converse about light topics after that, talking with the group every now and then. It was comfortable and nice, Jeno’s company had proven to be far more enjoyable than he had imagined, a stark contrast to Renjun’s initial impression of him.

The two talked about nothing and everything, finding out that they have a lot of similar interests with each other than they thought. Books, for that matter, were something Jeno loved to read and collect, which honestly surprised Renjun. Jeno, despite his good looks, was a homebody like him and weirdly enough, the wolf was into watching Japanese animations too.

The more Renjun learned about him, the more he gained reasons to like the other.

Time passed by and the party had started to dwindle down into a small buzz without Renjun even realizing it. He was also a little surprised to find out that Jeno used the distraction to take care of him, giving him plenty of water to drink to help him balance the alcohol in his system.

However, though not certain if the wolf was doing it consciously, he was still thankful. At least he wasn’t going to get a hangover tomorrow. Renjun was slightly amazed that by the time he needed to go home, he was already sober.

“Renjun, can you go home by yourself?” Xiaojun asked when the party was over.

Putting down the red cup of water from his lips, Renjun looked over and found that there was a very drunk Jaemin hanging on Lucas’ side, Xiaojun helping the the taller one in steadying Jaemin. Chenle was probably passed out somewhere in the house and Donghyuck was nowhere to be found and Renjun wondered if the other had left already without Jeno.

“Sure. I can take care of myself. I’m already sober, anyway.” He hopped off the counter. “Do you guys need help with Jaemin?”

“No, we’re good.” Lucas said. Then, his brows furrowed in worry. “Are you sure you’re okay going home? It’s dangerous to go alone what with the murders happening. Why don’t you just stay with us? We can sleep in Jaemin’s room like old times. Chenle’s already there, I think.”

“It’s okay, Lucas-”

“I’ll drive him.” Jeno piped up on his side. Renjun snapped his head to him, startled. The other grabbed his shoulder in assurance. “I didn’t drink because I brought my car so I promise I can drive safely.”

Lucas looked curiously between the two of them before he shrugged. Xiaojun nodded, smiling gratefully at Jeno and looking relieved. “Okay. That’s good. Well, we won’t see you out since Jaemin’s on his way to puking his guts on the floor. Renjun, text me when you get home okay?”

Confused, Renjun hummed his assent absentmindedly. Seemed like his friends had already decided his ride for him, deeming Jeno trustworthy enough for the task. Honestly, Renjun couldn’t complain about that, after all, he trusted Jeno as well.

He was just a little puzzled how Jeno got his friends’ trusts when they had just met each other tonight. Adding to that, Jeno had never left his side for most of it, only exchanging a few words with his friends. The more Renjun thought about it, the more he couldn’t wrap his mind around it so he decided to just let it be in the end.

Once inside Jeno’s car, Renjun finally got his mind out of the gutter and turned to the other.

“Where’s Donghyuck? Didn’t you two came together?” Renjun asked with a slight furrow in his brow. Jeno, locked his seatbelt and made sure that Renjun had his on properly as well before he started the engine.

“He went home earlier, though. He hasn’t done his homework for tomorrow.” The lycan sniggered.

“Oh.” Renjun nodded. He didn’t even noticed Donghyuck leaving. Embarrassingly enough, it was only making it more obvious that Renjun was far too focused on Jeno throughout the party. Flustered, Renjun scratched his cheek absentmindedly. “I didn’t notice. I would’ve said goodbye.”

“That’s fine. He was in a hurry. Don’t worry about it.”

“Aren’t you his ride? Why did you stay?” Renjun asked, regretting the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. He sounded like someone who was fishing for validation. Blood rushed to his cheeks and pooled there.

“No? Well, your friends are either drunk or too busy taking care of Jaemin and the party. I thought I’d help.” Jeno shrugged.

Renjun snorted. “By what? Making sure that I sobered up by the end of the night?”

“Yes.” Jeno simply said without further explanation which stunned Renjun, leaving him to stare speechless at the other’s side profile.

Without anything else to say, he ended up crossing his arms on his chest as a comfortable silence in the car permeated the air. He turned his gaze outside, seeing the scenery drenched in nighttime pass by him in a blurry image, making him feel tired and sleepy.

Thankfully enough, they arrived at his house relatively quickly because there was no traffic, and technically, Jaemin’s house was just a ten minute drive from his. The lights were off save for the porch lights. It was only natural since his mother was on duty tonight.

“Thanks for the ride.” Renjun smiled at Jeno, removing his seatbelt and was about to open the passenger door when Jeno stopped him.

“Wait.”

“What?” Renjun blinked, hand halted at the door handle. “Did I forgot something?”

Thinking that, Renjun started to twist on the leather seat to see if his phone had slipped out of his back pocket but was stopped by Jeno’s hand on his shoulder.

Slowly, Jeno lifted that very same hand to cup his cheek, thumb softly caressing the skin near his eye. Renjun’s lips parted slightly. His mind had turned blank and his heart skipped a beat when Jeno moved closer to invade his space, his eyes gentle as they bore on him.

Under the pale light of the car’s consoles, it was as if the wind was knocked out of Renjun because of that simple set of actions. At first he was confused, but soon, this confusion was triumphed by the pleasant feeling that suddenly warmed its way all over him again, engulfing him in a pleasant sensation.

As soon as it happened, Jeno was off of him, the moment broken. The other retreated from his seat, the hand that was on Renjun’s cheek mere seconds ago was nonchalantly placed on the steering wheel, as if he was burned.

_ What just happened? _ Renjun was still frozen in his place, blinking owlishly at the other as he tried to make sense of Jeno’s actions.

“Sorry.” Impishly, Jeno grinned at him. “There was a stray eyelash near your eye. I just removed it. You can go inside, now.”

Oh.

_ Oh. _

Renjun was going to have a heart attack because of a fucking stray eyelash.

Inhaling deeply, Renjun nodded and collected himself, slightly embarrassed at the fact that Jeno could hear the thundering inside his chest.

“O-okay.” He nodded, hasting to get out of the car, cheeks flushed. “See you tomorrow, then. Drive safely okay? Bye.”

“It’s not like I’ll die if I crash my car.” Jeno said.

Renjun hold onto the door and bent down, scowl on his face. “I know but it might hurt others if you do. So, still. Drive safely  _ and _ responsibly. It would be embarrassing for my mom to arrest one of my friends.”

Nodding, Jeno said. “Alright, you got me. I will. Now, go inside.”

Renjun waved another hand at Jeno before he closed the door and walked the short distance to his house. He chanced a glance back and was surprised to see that Jeno still hadn’t driven off, the passenger window now pulled down as the other watch him.

When he got to his door and opened the knob with his key, Renjun turned to Jeno again and whispered. “Jeno?” He saw the other tilted his head, obviously hearing him despite the distance. “I had fun tonight.”

For a moment, Jeno was quite taken aback, but in the end, he smiled. Renjun got inside the house and locked the door, not leaving the foyer until he heard Jeno’s car peeled off into the road.

Heaving a sigh, Renjun made his way upstairs, not even bothering to turn on the lights on the first floor since he didn’t plan on doing anything other than cleaning himself a bit before sleeping. Fortunately, his mom had left their hallway lights on before she left for duty.

The house was quiet save for Renjun’s footsteps making the wooden stairs creak in old age. Though old news, it still had Renjun feeling a bit queasy. He blamed it on the alcohol still in his system.

As soon as he hit the second floor, he made a beeline to the bathroom to do his business. Brushing his teeth, washing his face and peeing. He considered not showering for a moment but after smelling the sweat that was sticking onto his skin mixed with the smell of alcohol, he decided that yes, he needed that shower.

However sluggish with sleep, Renjun still finished all of those quickly. The will and need to hit his bed and rest reigned above anything else. Yawning and feeling even more weighted with exhaustion after the relaxing warm shower, he pulled a bathrobe on and he made his way to his room across.

Mindlessly throwing the phone on his bed, he locked his door behind him before turning his lamp on, making his way to his wardrobe cabinet to fetch some clothes after.

When he opened the wardrobe, Renjun paused his actions. He was suddenly hit with a palpable smell of rotting metal and dirt, wafting from the inside of his cabinet. The dim light coming from his desk lamp was enough to illuminate what was inside.

Wide eyes, Renjun slowly released a breath and realized that there was fog coming out of his lips. It was then that he noticed with a dread that the room’s temperature had significantly dropped to a freezing degree.

Nevertheless, even without that, Renjun’s blood would still run cold with fear as his eyes rake in the sight before him.

Inside his cabinet were his own clothes mixed with filthy ones. Dirtied shirts and jeans with soil and dirt, some of the blood browning and showing age. But there was one shirt that had Renjun’s body shivering in tremors. Horrified, he unconsciously took a step back.

The shirt was dirtied with fresh blood, still wet and painstakingly crimson to the eyes.

All of those were his clothes. He knew. He was sure of it. He had worn those before. Renjun felt like vomiting, his head suddenly felt like it was being split in half.

Just then, Renjun’s eyes caught sight of something behind him through the mirror. A silhouette of a person, staring right at him in the reflection, unmoving.

Reflexively closing his eyes, Renjun screamed with all his might. But nothing came out.

When he opened them again, Renjun’s throat was parched as he gasped for air with a jerk.

The ceiling that he had always woken up to ever since he was a child was staring right back at him. The morning sun had made its rays welcomed inside his room, beating down in joy, uncaring for Renjun’s frantic bewilderment.

_ A nightmare? _ He asked himself.

But everything had felt so real to Renjun. The way the water cascaded on his skin. The bristles of the toothbrush inside his mouth. The taste of alcohol and toothpaste. Jeno’s hand on his cheek. The feeling of that bloodied shirt on his fingers. The fear.

Renjun looked down on his clothes and realized with a dread that he was wearing a simple cotton shirt and sweatpants instead of the bathrobe. When did he change his clothes? He was still disoriented when his mother knocked on his door before opening it. Renjun wondered briefly if he hadn't lock his door last night.

“Good morning, sunshine.” Heran smiled brightly, still in her uniform as she made her way to Renjun’s bed. “How was Jaemin’s birthday last night?”

So, Jaemin’s party was real, that much Renjun could confirm.

Then, when did his nightmare start? He slowly sat up. But what if it wasn’t a nightmare? The thought was suffocating enough that Mom noticed the distress in him.

“What’s wrong, son?” Heran perched on his bed with a frown on her face, worried. “Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“I think there’s something wrong with me, Mom.” Renjun said in a small voice.

“Why do you say that?”

“Last night, I got home from Jaemin’s and there was someone in my room. Then, I- I don’t know how it happened but next thing I know, I was waking up to my bed.” Renjun gulped and grabbed his mother’s hand, speaking hastily and wide eyed. “But that’s not everything. Mom, I saw bloodied clothes in my wardrobe. They’re  _ mine. _ I know it. I-”

Heran grabbed her son’s shoulders steadily, voice turning serious as she saw how frantic Renjun’s breathing had become.

“Son, calm down. I’ll check your wardrobe and see what you’re talking about, alright?”

Renjun nodded mutely, heart thundering in his ears as trepidation settled in him. He watched his mother get up and cautiously stepped before his wardrobe, eyeing it like it contained something dangerous inside.

When the wardrobe was opened, Renjun was stunned to see that the sight before him was nothing similar to the sight that frightened him last night. The wardrobe was as usual, normal and plain, like it was never mixed with filthy and bloody used clothes.

“Son, there was nothing here. See?” Heran turned to him, expression calm. She walked over to his bed and sat there again. Gently, she stroked his hair like how she used to do to calm him down though his panic attacks when he was a child. “Maybe it was just a nightmare.”

Renjun was speechless, staring blankly at the wardrobe who was left open. But… he was so sure. He bit his lip and let himself be consoled by his mother. Hopelessness bloomed in his mind, feeble at the situation he was in. Could it really have been nothing but a nightmare?

“But it felt so real, Mom.” Renjun felt weak, not knowing what to do.

“I know, baby.” Heran hugged him, stroking his back in a calming manner. “It’s just a nightmare. It can’t hurt you.”

Suddenly, he felt guilty raising panic and worry on his mom who was probably stressed and tired over work but had to deal with him and his night terrors. He used to have those when he was a child. They both thought that he grew out of it. It seemed like it was back after years.

“I’m sorry, Mom.” Renjun apologized quietly after a moment. “You’re right. I just woke up too before you came in. I’m still a bit disoriented from sleep. It was probably just a nightmare.”

Heran sighed. “I’m worried your night terrors might be back. You tell me if you get another dream like this, okay? I’ll see what I can do about it.”

“Okay.” He smiled meekly as to appease his mother when she released him.

*

It was a few days after that when Renjun and Jaemin finally met and had the chance to talk.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t meet the day after Jaemin’s party, since the other was hungover and Renjun was still rattled about his disturbing dream.

The two decidedly agreed to meet the day after tomorrow, because Jaemin had to go to his part-time job in the publishing house the next day.

To say that Renjun was nervous to face his bestfriend was an understatement. He was scared. He didn’t know why, but he was. Maybe because at the back of his mind, he was afraid that Jaemin wouldn’t understand the reason behind his actions, behind his lies.

However, a bigger part of him believed that Jaemin would understand why he did what he had to do. Because that’s how Jaemin had always been. He had always been a pillar of support to Renjun ever since they were kids.

When the knock sounded on his front door, Renjun’s mind was scattered, but he tried to compose himself, before opening the door. The two stood on opposite sides, quiet as they observed one another. Jaemin looked tentative, mirroring the tense set of hesitation on Renjun’s expression.

“Come in.” Renjun decided to break the silence and stepped aside, allowing entrance to his bestfriend.

The atmosphere seemed awkward, so he decided to just take the situation nonchalantly to diffuse the tension they were both feeling. Jaemin walked forward without a word and went straight to the living room.

Renjun was just about to offer drinks when Jaemin whipped around abruptly, looking at him with narrowed, impatient eyes.

“Spill.”

Sighing, he felt the tension in the air let on, slowly dissipating. “Do you maybe want to sit first before we have this talk?”

Jaemin sat, not sparing a glance to anywhere but him. “Okay. I’m sitting. Now, spill.”

Renjun shook his head. There would be no escape once Jaemin had already set his mind onto finding out something, so he acquiesced and sat beside his bestfriend. He contemplated his words carefully, before he finally opened his mouth.

Every white lie he had told Jaemin regarding his situation was toppled over by the truth in his explanation. Renjun left no stone unturned, making sure that his bestfriend understood him perfectly. He didn’t know whether to be glad or be scared, but Jaemin remained quiet as he listened to him with an unreadable expression.

When he was done, there was a palpable tension in the air as he waited in anxiousness for Jaemin to process the secrets he had dropped, the truth he had spilled.

“Are you okay?” Jaemin asked in worry.

Renjun was stunned for a second, he didn’t think that this was the reaction he would get after he had told Jaemin everything that had transpired ever since the day of their truth or dare in the woods. But at the same time, this reaction was so Jaemin.

“I’m… okay.” Renjun spoke, feeling a little rattled.

“It must’ve been really hard on you. Going through all that alone.”

He wanted to reassure Jaemin that he wasn’t alone. But he was right, unfortunately. And Renjun felt a sense of emptiness fill him about that realization. Yes, he had Jeno in some parts of his experience. But still, all the incidents that frightened him, he was experiencing them alone. He looked down on his hands that was resting on his thighs. Renjun sighed.

“It was hard. But everything that happened was way out of my control. I’m just glad that I’m still here, alive.”

Jaemin didn’t say anything for a long time after that, only bumping his shoulder once to wordlessly tell Renjun that he’s here. That he would always be by Renjun’s side no matter what. That he wasn’t alone,  _ now. _

And to Renjun, that was enough.

“So…” Jaemin started a few moments after. “You mean Donghyuck and Jeno are lycans?”

“Yes.”

“The Lee family is a pack. Okay. Cool.” Jaemin nodded, a little breathless. “I understand.”

“Thank you-”

“But!” Jaemin put up a finger to halt Renjun’s sentence. Renjun’s mouth shut quickly as a frown formed on his brows. “I’m still upset that you didn’t trust me enough to keep this secret of yours. I gave you so many chances to tell me what was going on with you, Renjun. I understand it wasn’t all your secret to tell but still… we’ve never not tell each other anything. I’m your bestfriend so I’m allowed to feel this way right now.”

“I’m sorry, Jaem.” Renjun scooted closer and rested his head on Jaemin’s shoulder. “I know I could tell you anything and I admit that this would’ve been easier if I had you helping me ever since then. But I just can’t drag you like that to my problems all the time.”

“I’m your bestfriend. It’s my job to to get dragged into your problems whether I like it or not.” Jaemin patted his head in comfort. “But I understand. I’m sorry I’ll be feeling a little upset over this for a little bit more, but I’ll get over it.”

Renjun smiled. “Thanks a lot. You’re the best.”

Jaemin snorted. “I know I am. But man… it’s so  _ cool _ how Donghyuck is a lycan. Do you think there’s a difference when they have sex with you as a human or as a lycan?”

“Jesus Christ, Jaemin Na.” Renjun covered his face with both of his hands, body rocking with laughter at the wistful tone of the question. “You’re disgusting.”

“What? As if you don’t think about that way with Jeno!”

“I don’t think like you do so, no.” He pushed Jaemin away and the other fell on his side in the sofa, chuckling at his own ridiculousness. Renjun shook his head. “Besides, Jeno turns into a full wolf. That would be like… bestiality.”

Renjun shivered at the horrible image that flashed for a second before his eyes. Fuck Jaemin for putting the ideas in his mind. He wished to un _ think _ those, thank you very much. He preferred to think about Jeno like that in his human form.

Very beautiful human form.

Wait. Hold that thought. Why was he thinking about Jeno like that again?

Ah, Jaemin. Seriously, fuck Jaemin. Renjun hoped he chokes to death.

“You’re so horrible. How can Donghyuck stand you?”

“He won’t be able to once I’m done with him.”

“You’re insufferable. That’s my friend.” Groaning, Renjun hit Jaemin with the nearest object he could find, which was the TV’s remote control.

“Wait! Wait! I’m your friend too, why are you hitting me? Don’t hurt me!”

If he wasn’t feeling really relaxed and happy now that he had let go of some of the heavy baggage he had been carrying with him, he would’ve thrown Jaemin out and sent him home already.

In the end, Renjun stood up, shaking his head as he offered to heat up the pizza so that Jaemin could finally shut his mouth about wanting to bone Donghyuck. He didn’t think he could stand a few more seconds of his bestfriend being whiny and ludicrous about his nonexistent love life.

*

Tossing in bed unable to sleep, Renjun reached for his phone on the nightstand.

_ 12:17 AM. _

Squinting at the light, he opened his messages, not really sure what he was looking for since there was no new text in his inbox. It had only been a few hours since his mother had left for work. Renjun was feeling restless in his bed. His body was tired, but he couldn’t get his mind to fall into slumber.

Mindlessly, he opened a message thread and typed, unexpecting.

**User > Grumpy Wolfcat**

_ Jeno _

Within a few seconds, Renjun saw the three dots, indicating that Jeno was awake and typing. His eyes widened, panicked and not really knowing what to say or why he texted the other in the middle of the night.

** Grumpy Wolfcat > User**

_ What is it? _

**User > Grumpy Wolfcat**

_ never mind. it was nothing. sorry. _

Renjun made his phone sleep, putting it atop his chest. What was he thinking? Now, he was even more awake. What was he expecting? That if he asked Jeno to come over to keep him company, he would? It wasn’t like Jeno would do anything he says, Renjun would just end up making things awkward between them by just doing that.

But should he have at least asked? Renjun shook his head. It was too late for that.

A few moments later, he heard a tapping noise on his window. Frowning, he turned in his bed and stared at it. Abruptly, he got up, stumbling on the blanket that tangled itself on his feet as he hurried to open the window.

On the other side was Jeno, crouched on the roof, eyeing him up and down with concern. Renjun was gobsmacked at the sight before him.

“Can I come in?” Jeno asked permission instead of answering his question, to which Renjun responded with a wordless nod, remembering belatedly that Jeno couldn’t enter without permission because of the ward Johnny had put up.

Jeno pushed his way into his room and landed gracefully with a silent thud. As soon as he got in, he took his jacked off and placed it on the chair. Next thing he knew, Jeno was sitting on Renjun’s bed and taking his boots off, carefully placing them on the floor.

While this was happening, Renjun was just watching everything with his mouth hanging open. What was going on, exactly?

“Why are you here?” Renjun asked dumbly. “Have you just been waiting outside my window?”

“Nope.” Jeno tilted his head, an air of nonchalance emanating from him as he stared at Renjun expressionlessly, as if the answer was obvious.

Well, he got here in a matter of less than a minute. Renjun was confused even more. Was Jeno really just outside his window, sitting on his roof in the middle of the night?

_ “You were?  _ What-”

“You texted.” Jeno said, as if that was normal. He turned his back on Renjun to fix and plump the pillows he decided he was going to use tonight. Renjun was still gaping at the other. “Come on. I’m sleepy. Let’s sleep.”

“Okay? Why don’t you go to your own house and sleep there?” Renjun blinked. Why was Jeno acting like this was something they had done a hundred times before?

“Do you want me to?” Jeno stopped his movements and looked flustered for a quick second after the words had left his mouth but he was quick to regain his composure. Soon, he was back to being calm. “Well, are you going to sleep or not? Because I am.” Without any word, Jeno crawled his way to the inner side of the bed, near the wall, and lied there, getting comfortable.

To say that the rug under Renjun’s feet got abruptly pulled off was completely an understatement. He tried to make sense of what just happened.

Was the other really staying guard outside his house without him knowing? It was… kind of creepy but with the context of Renjun’s peculiar past experiences, he guessed the other felt the need to do it. He didn’t know if he should laugh or cry.

In retrospect, Renjun also felt safer now that the other was here after he got over the fact that Jeno was literally outside his window like a fucking creep. He quickly closed the aforementioned window and locked it before walking over to his bed.

“You know you could’ve just said that you wanted to stay over when you drove me home earlier after school. You didn’t have to wait outside. What if my neighbors saw you and reported it to the police?” Renjun scolded, tucking himself up to the chin inside his blanket.

That was new progress in their friendship. Ever since he told Jeno about the shadows and the blackouts, the other would always offer to drive him home whenever there was a chance.

Renjun was elated, he didn’t have to ride the bus and he could save more money for the things he wanted. Plus, it was nice to spend more time with Jeno and Donghyuck. The cousins were a fun company to be with.

From under the faint moonlight, Renjun could see that the other had his eyes closed, but Jeno hummed. “It was dark and if the police comes to check, I’d hear them coming and would make my escape before they even reach your front door.”

“Isn’t it cold outside?” Renjun turned to fully face the other, burying himself even further on the bed, getting comfortable and cozy.

“I’m not easily cold. Wolf, remember?” Jeno turned his head to him and opened his eyes, meeting Renjun’s gaze with a smile in the darkness of the night. His smile was tired and small, but still genuine. Jeno lifted a hand and softly passed it over Renjun’s eyes, seeming to close them. “Sleep. You’ve had a long day.”

With his eyes shut, calmness seeped inside Renjun at those comforting words. There was an underlying sense of praise in them, like Jeno was telling him that he had worked hard today, so his mind and body deserve to rest well. Renjun soaked in the delicate care, the feeling suddenly making his stomach flutter in a way he couldn’t put a name on.

“Sorry.”

“For what?” Jeno asked with a frown.

“For always bothering you.”

Renjun yawned and scooted closer until his nose touched the sleeve of Jeno’s shirt. He inhaled deeply, the faint scent of cool mist and earthy musk filling his lungs.

“It’s because you always bothered me that I’m used to it.” Jeno whispered. “I don’t mind. It’s okay, go to sleep. I’ll watch over you.”

“Okay…”

That put his mind and body at peace, but sent his heart into the middle of a tempest.

No words were spoken after that. Before Renjun could fall into a deep slumber, he felt Jeno’s fingers grazed his cheek ever so softly, like a feather brushing on his skin, letting him know that he wasn’t alone.

_ Renjun. _

From the dark abyss before him, Renjun opened his eyes with a jerk when he heard the whisper of his name, a breath escaping his mouth at the same time.

What welcomed him was a sight that brought befuddlement to his mind. It was the view of the night sky, clear with twinkling little lights as if Christmas was just hiding underneath the lapis lazuli spread above him.

A frown marred his forehead. There was soil and weathered leaves underneath his fingers when he felt around. Renjun got up to sit, eyes adjusting to the dark for a moment.

Then, his breath hitched, eyes bulging out of their sockets.

When his vision had finally adjusted, he saw looming trees standing tall before him. And Renjun  _ knew _ he was in the middle of the woods.

Quickly, Renjun got up to look around, was thankful for the bright moon illuminating his surroundings. He found out that he was in one of the smaller clearings spread around the Preserve where the Nemeton was located at. Hair stood up all over his body at that realization. Dread had lodged itself in his throat as he stared at the ominous tree stump behind him.

Petrified in his spot, Renjun’s mind raced. Phone. He needed to call someone for help. Shakily, he patted his body down, and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the hard device on the back pocket of his jeans, sight never leaving the cut down tree. He swiftly fetched the phone, seeing that the battery was red and started to dial someone’s number. He only had one chance to call someone for help before his phone dies.

_ “Hello?” _

“Jeno!” Renjun practically yelled, voice shaking.

_ “Renjun? What’s wrong? Why are you calling me? It’s three in the morning.”  _ Renjun’s breathing faltered for a moment at that information. He looked around, afraid to move. The sounds of the forest seemed to slowly fade away.  _ “Wait… where are you? Why aren’t you in the house?” _

He inhaled. “Jeno, I- I’m at the Preserve. I can’t remember how I got here.”

Sensing the distress in his voice, Renjun heard shuffling movements from the other line. _ “Can you tell me exactly which part of the Preserve you are right now? Anything would help.” _

Gulping, Renjun whispered. “I’m at the Nemeton, Jeno.”

Jeno cursed on the other line and Renjun winced. _ “That’s not that far from our house. I’m calling Yeeun so she could bring the others. They might get to you faster than I can. But I’m on my way. I’m going to call you again-” _

“No! No, don’t end the call until you get here. Jeno, please just stay on the line.”

_ “But Renjun, they might find you-” _

The line died as soon as Renjun heard his window closing. At first he thought, Jeno ended the call but when he looked at the screen, he realized that his phone’s battery had died. His hand trembled at this unfortunate discovery.

Trying to calm himself down, Renjun controlled his breathing when he caught movement from the trees and he snapped his gaze to the direction of it. His eyes glimpsed a shadow behind one of the trees and he froze altogether, breath halting.

The atmosphere dropped to minus degrees as the shadows moved to devour all the subdued colors around Renjun, leisurely making its way to him.

He took a step back and a chilling chuckle sounded from the silhouette watching him from behind the tree. The sound was raspy, as if there was something in its mouth that was forbidding it to move it’s orifice normally. It had Renjun’s body racked with waves of terror than anything else. Despite the freezing temperature that came out of nowhere, sweat rolled down Renjun’s temple.

There was something hard at the inner pocket of Renjun’s jacket, stabbing his rib and his hand unconsciously reached for it, feeling something slender and smooth in his hand.

It was the mountain ash vial that Jeno gave him. Renjun had purposely carried it on his person everyday for emergencies, thinking that he’d never use it this soon but was glad that he had the mind to carry it.

A sliver of hope blossomed inside him as he pulled the vial out quickly from his jacket, he didn’t have the time to pour it in his hand. Instead, Renjun desperately threw it on the ground in front of him, the glass shattering into smithereens with the impact, praying hard that it would still have the same effect as throwing it in the air.

For a second Renjun was scared that the mountain ash won’t form a barrier. But soon, the ash smoked and crawled by itself to form a circle around him. When it was done, Renjun felt the magic envelope him in safety, and he could breathe easily. With the magical barrier and newfund courage, he faced the silhouette.

“Who are you?” Renjun asked, determined to know the other’s identity. For some reason, he could sense that the other had smiled, and it sent a new wave of chills through his body.

_ You were looking for me a few days ago, weren’t you? Why are you so surprised to see me now? _ The raspy voice replied. It was chilling, and echoed through the night, like a thousand whispers. It was quiet and loud at the same time.

Renjun was stunned for a second, not really expecting the other to answer his question that easily. But he shook his head and collected himself.  _ “What _ are you?”

_ Ah, but it wouldn’t be fun if I give you all the answers now, would it? _

“Why are you doing this?” Renjun pressed. When he blinked, the silhouette disappeared. But it didn’t take Renjun a lot of time to find it again. Because this time, the silhouette was behind another tree that was closer to him. The silhouette chuckled.

_ I’m flattered that you finally recognized my existence, Renjun. Imagine being ignored when I did all that for you to notice me. I was lonely. So lonely. _

Renjun was tracking the silhouette’s every movement as much as he could in the dark, but he was no supernatural being and human eyes could only see so much without light. He couldn’t afford to use his phone’s torch light since its battery had already ran out and even if it still had life, he would not off-handedly use it as a flashlight when he could use it to call for help.

The hand that was holding his phone twitched. He prayed that Jeno would come soon. 

_ I know you’re smart, I didn’t think it would take you this long to notice me.  _ The voice continued, sounding a lot closer than before. Renjun whipped his head around, losing sight of the silhouette.

“What do you want?!”

Renjun shouted at nothing, fear and agitation getting the better of him. A deafening silence answered him, making him nervous even more. He stretched his neck to catch a glimpse of the silhouette behind the trees, but the silhouette was gone.

When Renjun turned around, a face covered in bandages was right in front of him, smiling eerily as it stood just outside the circle of mountain ash, staring straight at him.

The scream and fight died inside Renjun seeing the creature’s appearance for the first time. The bandages that covered its entire head was bloodied and yellow ragged, clear as a day that the cloth had weathered badly in time. With only its mouth exposed, its teeth were jagged and razor sharp like a shark’s, it was probably the reason why his voice and words would come out with a unique rasp in it when it spoke. Its entire body seemed to be covered in bandages, and it was wearing an old uniform worn by soldiers of war on top of it.

It was a terrifying sight and Renjun couldn’t help but take a step back even if he knew the creature wouldn’t be able to enter the barrier.

_ If I tell you what I want, would you give it to me willingly? _

Hearing and seeing the monster this close, his blood ran cold, his knees wobbled beneath him until it gave out and Renjun fell to the ground with a thud.

The monster eyed him, its smile growing wider by the second, threatening to split the face underneath the bandages in half, until it turned into a full blown maniacal laughter. It seemed to be satisfied with their new position:  _ it _ towering over Renjun.

The only thing keeping him together during this moment was the mountain ash barrier barring the monster from getting even more closer to him. His mind was blank, terror hungrily swallowing all of him as he finally faced the creature who had been haunting him for the past month.

The monster inhaled, satisfied with the air as it made an approving humming sound.

_ Ahhh… Your fear tastes so good. _

Renjun whimpered. “Who are you! Just what do you want from me?”

_Do you like riddles, Renjun? _The creature continued, ignoring Renjun’s words and leisurely walking around the mountain ash circle like a predator, dragging its fingers to scratch the magical barrier. The invisible wall sparked with every touch and drag, but it held on strongly. _I’m sure you do._ _You’re an intelligent person, Renjun. I think you could humor me with a riddle or two._

“I-I don’t- I don’t understand-” He stuttered out. Renjun’s eyes followed its movements keenly, refusing to let his eyes wander for a second.

The creature stopped once it was in front of him again and crouched down, sitting on its haunches. Its head moved like a snake before he rested his chin with one hand, seeming to stare at Renjun intently even though its eyes were covered, watching him, observing him.

_ You will. _

Then, the creature grinned, taking so much joy from his misery. Lifting a bandaged hand, the creature lightly knocked on the invisible wall with its forefinger. The barrier lit up, sensing the touch of the supernatural.

Renjun shivered as he watched the other continuously make a tapping rhythm for every second that passed.

Tock.

Tock.

Tock.

_ What gets bigger the more you take away? _

“W-what?” Renjun breathed, eyes snapping to the face of the monster, puzzled.

_ What gets bigger the more you take away, Renjun? _ Even if he couldn’t see the other’s eyes, Renjun knew that the monster had a glint of wickedness in them as it anticipate his answer impatiently. He gulped.

“A hole.”

The monster smiled, sighing wistfully.  _ See? I knew you’re smart. _

“Everyone knows the answer to that riddle.” He said through gritted teeth.

_ What gets wetter the more it dries? _

Frowning, Renjun couldn’t figure out the point of the riddles but he guessed that if he humored it, it would stay longer to talk to him and there would be a bigger chance that Jeno and the others could catch it.

_ Time’s a wastin’, Renjun. _ The creature’s light knocking became faster, going half a second per tap. The barrier lit up with sparks, every thump of its forefinger was a subtle invasion which caused the barrier to react.

“A towel.” He answered.

Tock. Tock. Tock. _ Hmm… when is a door not a door? _

Pausing for a moment, Renjun actually contemplated his answer since he wasn’t sure what would happen if he answered wrongly. He had a vague idea of what the riddle was pertaining to, he just wasn’t sure if it was right. The tapping of its finger on the invisible wall was driving his mind crazy.

In the end, he threw the doubts away and just blurted out the thought that initially came up in his mind as soon as the creature dropped the riddle.

“... When it’s  _ ajar _ .”

_ Good. Good! GOOD! _

TockTockTockTock.

The creature tapped faster as it fell into a laughter full of delight, sounding manic. The barrier sparked in reaction like Christmas lights dancing in glee now. Renjun feared that it would break under a force stronger than the creature’s forefinger and subtly crawled back, away from the monster.

_ Then, lastly. _ The monster stopped tapping. Instead, it put both of its palms flat on the invisible wall. It leaned in until its face was pressed against the wall, still smiling. Always smiling.

_ Everyone has it, but no one can lose it. What is it? _

Renjun’s mind blanked as his breath halted. “I don’t-”

The creature  _ bang _ -ed on the invisible wall, making it tremble under the force. Then, it pushed harder as if wanting to go through what’s separating both of them. It enunciated each word slowly.

_ Everyone has it, but no one can lose it. What is it, Renjun? _

Closing his eyes, Renjun tried to rack his brain for the answer, but coming up short with nothing. He could feel the panic settle in his nerves making it harder for him to think and breathe. Renjun was so, so, so  _ scared _ now. His entire body was trembling from fear and the cold.

“I don’t… I don’t know!”

_ Wrong answer. _

Renjun practically  _ screamed _ his lungs out when there was a sudden pain in his right leg.

Snapping his eyes open, he saw, under the light of the pale moon, that his right leg was caught in a bear trap. It’s claws closed tightly on his limb, crimson liquid slowly seeping out from his jeans. He could feel the metal as it pierced itself through his muscles, tearing it. He felt dizzy. He felt bile coming up from his throat at the sight and the excruciating pain.

The creature was back to sitting on its haunches, chin lazily resting on one hand.

_ Tch. I know you know the answer. So, I’m going to ask you again. Everyone has it, but no one can lose it. What is it? _

“H-how… How did you do this?”

Breathless, Renjun was certain that the bear trap was the creature’s doing, he just didn’t know how it was possible for it to get past through the magical barrier. His mind was a jumbled mess, he was frightened out of his wits, and he was in a lot of pain. His vision was starting to dim on the sides like he was about to faint or about to cry, he wasn’t sure anymore. Slowly, Renjun was starting to lose hope of the rescue he had been waiting for.

The creature chuckled darkly, voice turning serious.

_ Do you really think mountain ash could stop me? _

And that… that was the last blow. The last coin dropping on ocean and disappearing into the darkness of the deep, no chance at finding it ever again. That coin was Renjun’s hope, slowly being engulfed by the dark water.

“What did I do to you for you to torment me like this?”

The shadows had finally gotten to him. Slowly but surely, it slithered its way to his body, consuming, dominating, devouring his entirety alive. It was as if life had left him as he stared blankly at the creature. Renjun was nothing but a soulless shell with a tear running soundlessly down his cheek.

_ Ahh, my little rabbit. Nothing bad, do not worry. Truth be told, without you, I wouldn’t be here. I am free to feed again, thanks to you. _

With a flick of its hand, a part of the mountain ash on the floor was blown with a gust of wind. Renjun didn’t even have the time or strength to react before the creature stood up, and stepped inside, slowly entering the broken circle with ease, taking its time with each step before it sat in front of him, bandaged face intimately close to his.

_ It was so much fun playing with you. Giving you hope, and slowly taking it away from your hands. _

The creature tapped Renjun’s cheek with the same finger that it used to make rhythmic thumps on the invisible wall just a few moments ago.

_ But I’ve had my fill and I don’t want to break you, yet. I’m letting you go for now. Be a good little rabbit and send my regards to the Lee pack, will you? When I come back, I hope you already have the answer to my riddle. _

The creature sniggered as it slowly dissipated from Renjun’s view. The shadows retreated from its hold on Renjun. And before it fully vanished, it’s voice echoed through the darkness of the night.

_ Everyone has it, but no one can lose it. What am I, Renjun _ ?

That was the last thing Renjun could remember before his eyes rolled back and he fell to the ground, consciousness slipping away from him as his body gave in to the exhaustion and pain.

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave comments, kudos and share the fic with your friends! thank you so much for taking interest in this story with just the first chapter out. im really happy with the response it got. :D
> 
> there will be mistakes in this and im sorry. i tried my hardest to beta this monster update before i publish it. i swear!
> 
> things got so much trippy in this chapter so if you have questions, feel free to ask away! i'll try to answer them without spoiling anything.
> 
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/hrjflairs) | [twt](https://twitter.com/cosmicflairs)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! I know this was really late and I've had people waiting. But there were a lot of things that happened in the past months that caused the delay. I won't bore you with my life story, I'm honestly just glad that I actually finished this fic because this chapter alone was so very hard for me to write. But it's here! Yay!
> 
> Thank you so much to all the people who have been patiently anticipating this last chapter, who have continuously sent me encouragements, who supported me when I hated my writing.
> 
> Mostly, thank you to Rah.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this.

No matter how determined Jeno, Yeeun and the rest were, their persistence in searching for Renjun through the woods couldn’t be met with meritorious results.

They had scoured the entire woods once, twice, even _ thrice, _but the trail that led to Renjun would always end up cold.

For some unknown reason, it wasn’t until a sliver of sunlight was peeking through the horizon that someone had finally found Renjun’s unconscious body lying on the hard ground.

His body was found in the clearing where the Nemeton was located. The place that they had checked multiple times through the night but found no traces of him in.

Though after a rough check, the wolves had confirmed that he wasn’t injured, but his entire self was covered in splatters of blood which had put horror films to shame. His clothes were ragged and besmirched with dirt.

It was as if Renjun’s body just appeared out of nowhere without any of the pack members’ awareness, bypassing all of their heightened senses with a chilling ease.

Albeit missing for a few hours in the dark forest, Renjun was uninjured, skin flawless and unmarred beneath the grime.

To everyone’s surprise, none of those drying crimson liquid was his. But that surprise soon turned into a visceral trepidation that collectively gripped the wolves present as they all realized, in one horrifying moment, that Renjun smelled of death and murder. 

But he wouldn’t wake up.

This had put a grim cloud over everyone’s morale as Jeno took the unconscious male in his arms to rush him to the hospital with bated breath and everyone’s hearts on the pits of their stomachs.

The pack had taken a fondness with Renjun during his visit, and it made them even more jittery and concerned for the other’s well-being. Yeeun could feel the agitation of her pack coming off in waves and it was affecting her emotions too, making her head throb.

Yeeun decided to go with them to the hospital, along with Donghyuck, after she placated the pack’s increasing worry. She could understand where their worries were coming from. After all, no one could have possibly escaped a wolf’s heightened hearing nor smell unless they were a powerful supernatural being.

And Renjun did just that, or whoever- _ whatever- _hid the unconscious boy did.

In the end, she did what any Alpha would do, she told them that she would take care of it so there would be no need to make space for worry in their minds. The placation seemed to have appeased the pack even just a little. They told her that they would be on standby if she ever needed anything.

They left soon after that, with Yeeun driving, Donghyuck to her side in the passenger seat and Jeno at the back with an unconscious Renjun in his arms.

A foreboding feeling was stagnant in the air, the car was silent except for Donghyuck talking on the phone with Sheriff Huang, filling her in with what had happened.

The air was suffocating, but they couldn’t do anything about it. Renjun’s heartbeat was stable, so that at least was somewhat of a good news to the three.

He was alive.

When they arrived in the emergency room, they were immediately assisted by the nurses. Sheriff Huang was already waiting for them, her face was hardened darkly and she was still in her uniform as she took in the state of her son’s unconscious body. She had obviously left her work to meet them there.

Jeno set Renjun down on the gurney and Renjun was taken in for immediate check up. The expression on Heran’s face was tinged with fear, her jaw was set. She hadn’t said a single word to them as she let the hospital staff take charge over Renjun. She looked worn out, her eyes red rimmed, her face pale.

It was still early in the morning in Wilhemville so unlike big town hospitals that were always brimming with patients, the emergency room was considerably empty.

Jeno stood on the side, gaze not leaving Renjun but he gave space for Heran to walk over to her son, watching them check his pulse and what not. Donghyuck stayed behind Yeeun.

The atmosphere was suspended, the silence was tumultuous despite the hurried hush of the hospital staff as they hover over Renjun. They were ushered out of the ER soon and onto the waiting room where all of them piled in.

No one spoke for a while. No one knew what to say.

“He’s just unconscious, Sheriff.” Yeeun started when they were hit with another wave of fright coming off from Heran. “He’s uninjured. It’s not his blood.”

"Why is he unconscious?"

"We don't know. We tried, Sheriff. But he wouldn't wake up, no matter what we do."

“Why didn’t you call me sooner?” Heran rather asked, voice low and icy as she took a deep breath and faced them.

Her face was stoic, and she looked like she had aged, dark bags under her eyes heavy. Other than that, she remained composed. But you couldn’t truly lie to a wolf, the air was drowned with her scent of worry and hurt.

Because of their heightened senses, the wolves knew that Renjun was uninjured. They would be able to smell if he was bleeding, hurt or aching. But the distinct heady smell of being in pain was nowhere to be found ever since they found the lithe teen.

Instead of offering comfort, Yeeun’s words seemed to give a different kind of impact on them. Everyone was thinking about the same thing.

If those weren’t Renjun’s blood, then whose was it?

But everyone held their breaths, afraid that if someone spoke a word about it, the thin smidge of faux peace that hover at the forefront of their minds would shatter into smithereens.

Yeeun had opted to answer the Sheriff's question. “We initially planned to. But after we searched the place and couldn’t find him, we deduced that it was too dangerous for humans to go.” She explained calmly.

Heran whipped her head to the Alpha, eyes stone cold. “You think the police would only be a liability in that situation? I’m the Sheriff and he’s my son!”

Eyes widened, Donghyuck stepped forward and put his hands in front of him, as if to say that he was unthreatening, as he calmed the older woman down. Jeno had also moved closer to Yeeun, his instincts to protect his Alpha rising. But he stayed silent as Donghyuck talked.

“Sheriff Huang, we know how capable you are. But the situation was peculiar. We couldn’t find him for hours, not even a scent of him. It was like he was being hidden from us. Or he just wasn’t there. But when the morning hits, he suddenly appeared, handed to us on a silver platter. We’re an old pack, but we’ve never encountered something like this before. Humans cannot just erase their scent nor disappear in the crowd of lycans. We couldn’t risk endangering more people, that’s why Yeeun decided it was best not to alert you and risk unnecessary mayhem.”

Heran seemed to relatively calm down after hearing that, finding logic in the reasoning. But she was still on edge, unsettled and angry as she chanced a glance to the door of the room where her son was being treated.

“You said that no harm would come to us once you put up the wards in the house.” She lifted a hand to wipe her face, as if the action would erase the fear and stress that was taking a toll on her. Her voice was laced with well-hidden pain. The other wolves flinched at the accusation in her voice, except for Jeno whose jaw tightened. “What happened?”

Yeeun shook her head, face bleak. “We don’t know.”

"You don't know?" The Sheriff parroted bitterly. There was an unspoken accusation of _ why didn't you know? _ underneath her words.

Yeeun, for the first time in years of her being an Alpha, felt unsure if she was worthy of the title at all. She couldn't protect a single child, how could she protect her town? But it was only a split second doubt. She couldn't do that to herself and her pack. So, she steeled her expression back.

“I was with him last night.” Jeno spoke, finally breaking his silence. His eyes hardened as he forced down the lump in his throat. “I told him I would watch over him. But somehow I fell asleep. I didn’t even feel him leave. When I woke up, he wasn’t there anymore, and he was calling me from the Nemeton. I called Yeeun as soon as the phone call ended because she was closer. We rushed there as soon as we could but he was just… _ missing.” _

No one questioned why he was sleeping over at the Huang’s last night, but everyone was focused on him, faces turning darker with every word that fell out of his mouth.

What Jeno said just confirmed everyone’s fear.

That what was happening with Renjun was something of the unknown that even lycans were not knowledgeable of.

In the face of this, they were all naive rabbits chasing a tail in the dark, only to find out that this tail was connected to a venomous python in the end.

However, one thing was evident in the room. Renjun was bloodied but that wasn’t his blood. The question then arose: what really happened?

It had put Heran’s heart in the deepest part of the ocean, sinking and sinking the more she remembered the image of the mess on Renjun’s clothes. At the memory, the mother felt forlorn. She decided that it was best to talk about the matter when her son had finally recovered properly.

“You should leave.” Heran said in a low voice, exhausted and resigned.

“But-” Jeno was about to protest when Yeeun held a hand out, stopping his ministrations.

“Please, call us once he wakes up.” Yeeun said understanding, giving Heran and Renjun their needed space. “We would like to have a talk with Renjun as well. As the Alpha of this town, I cannot let innocents be dragged in danger. There had been too many deaths already.”

Heran only nodded in acquisance and the three turned to leave without another word.

*

The sound of a bustling chatter pouring inside a room only to be silenced with a door closing was the first thing that Renjun heard when his consciousness had started to settle.

Without opening his eyes, he felt soft sheets underneath his fingers, a pillow cushioning his head and a blanket draped over his nether region.

For a quick moment, Renjun dreaded to feel anything, frightened that he would feel the cold hard ground beneath his fingertips.

But he was in a bed, he could tell. Though, it wasn’t his bed. The mattress was too thin, the pillow too soft. There was also a sharp sting on his right hand when he tried to move, like something was lodged inside his skin and into his veins.

As his lids slowly fluttered open, Renjun realized then that he was in a white room and there was an IV tube connected to his hand. Throat parched and lips chapped, it felt like he hadn’t spoken for a whole month. His head felt like it was being weighed down with led but other than that, Renjun was glad to see the morning light coursing through the uncurtained window.

He was in a hospital, that he could surmise from the thin gown he was wearing and from the discernible stench of sterile floor wafting through the air.

Renjun was a little bit disoriented from waking up so suddenly, but as he sat down on that bed, alone in the room, he remembered everything. Clear as day and as real as the planets revolving around the sun.

The fear that took over his body to the point where it was all he could feel. The agonizing pain that the creature had put him through. The palpable sense of danger and hopelessness. 

They were all real. And Renjun had experienced all of those.

It wasn’t a nightmare, he was certain of it. And that was what scared him the most.

His train of thoughts were abruptly halted when the door opened and Mom entered the room, too tired looking, too worn out. As soon as her eyes laid on his awakened state, they enlarged and she immediately pulled herself out of her stunned state near the door to fawn over him.

“Oh God.” Heran breathed in relief as she carefully, but hurriedly, embraced him. “I was so worried. So, so, so worried.”

It sounded like she was about to weep and Renjun felt guilty. So, he ended up lifting his free hand to return the smothering affection of his mother with a gentle pat on her back.

“I’m… fine.” He croaked out.

“I’m glad, baby.” She whispered brokenly and placed a kiss on the crown of his head.

Clearly, Renjun wasn’t fine. But hearing him speak and seeing him awake, Heran looked somewhat reassured. She decided to let him go to give him water for his throat that was as dry as the desert. He noticed her misty eyes, but he didn’t say a word. His mother and Renjun weren’t exactly the cheesy type in regards to their real feelings. They may have joked around about _ i love you’s _ but it was more to annoy each other than to actually mean the words seriously.

Renjun was feeling awkward, and he could tell that his mother had felt the same after she collected herself.

When his mother had calmed down enough to sit on the chair beside the hospital bed, Renjun had started telling her what happened without sparing any details. He knew his mother was dying to know, given her inherent curiosity and because of her job as the chief of police. He learned that they had started another investigation, but this time, it was only to assist the Lee pack. By now, all of them already knew that this wasn’t something the police could handle by themselves.

He told his story slowly, in bits and pieces as he tried to put words into his experience. It was hard for him to recall the events not because the details were blurry, but because he was afraid to reminisce about what happened before he fainted.

“Son.” Heran called out after a while when Renjun was done talking, her expression grim. “You weren’t hurt or trapped by a bear trap.”

Stunned, Renjun had only realized then that there was no pain in his leg where a deep wound was supposed to be. He was grateful that he wasn’t actually hurt but it was still a terrifying mystery. How was that possible?

Taking his speechlessness as her cue, Heran continued. “You were missing for hours. When the lycans got there, you weren’t in the Nemeton, but there was a lingering scent of your fear and anxiousness. The Lee pack scoured the Preserve, but they couldn’t find you no matter where or how they looked. Yeeun said that it was like you just vanished into thin air.”

Renjun’s lips parted. “What? I- But I’m here, aren’t I? So, how did you find me?”

“No one was able to find you until the sun was out. You just appeared near the Nemeton, unconscious and bloodied.” She gulped, as if the memory of it was still hurting her. It probably did. “You were alive. You were unharmed. But you were sleeping, and nothing could wake you up. So, Yeeun and Jeno brought you to the hospital while Donghyuck called to inform me.”

“I rushed as soon as I could. God, I thought I would lose you too.” She ran a hand through her hair, fingers slightly trembling. Renjun grasped her hand and squeezed it in comfort. Smiling faintly, she continued. “The doctor said that you’re not in any critical danger. But he also said that you were fatigued, like the state of your body was that of someone who hasn’t had any sleep for a whole month. He said it was like someone who is in constant abuse of their own body. He had never seen anything like it before, so he suggested that we see a somnologist as soon as you wake up. His conclusion was that you might be sleepwalking all this time. Each night for a whole month. Which explained the fatigue. Because even if you were asleep, your body has been constantly moving without rest.”

“But it wasn’t any sleep disorder, Mom.” Renjun cut in, eyes imploring. “Something supernatural has latched itself onto me.”

“I believe you.” Heran bit her lip. “But it’s best that we still narrow down our options by checking sleep disorder out of that list soon, yeah?”

“But where will you get the money we need for the hospital bills?”

Heran shook her head, determined. “You don’t have to worry about that, son.”

“Mom…”

Heran carefully brushed his cheek with her thumb, smiling gently. “Let me worry about that as your mother, okay?”

Renjun nodded albeit reluctantly. He understood where his mother was coming from. She was right. It was better for them to figure everything out methodically instead of jumping to conclusions without further proof.

For all he knew, he could truly be hallucinating everything, his delusions had spiralled into grandeur of realistic nightmares. He could be really, _ really _ disturbingly ill and he was just in denial.

In the end, he chose to say nothing about the matter anymore and let it drop for now.

“Whose blood was it, Mom?” He said under his breath after a while of pondering, afraid of what he will find. “You said I wasn’t harmed. So, whose blood was it?”

“Not yours.” Expression twisting into a pinch, Heran closed her eyes for a moment to collect herself. “And as horrifying as this sounds, I’m so glad that the blood on your clothes and skin during that night weren’t yours.”

It was like the lodge in Renjun’s throat had doubled its size. “Do you know whose it was?”

“Not even a day after the pack found you, a dead body turned up at the edge of the Preserve near the border to Fairview Hills. His blood matched the blood we found on you.”

He blinked. “His? You said _ ‘his’?” _

It was like Renjun’s brain had ceased all its work to focus on this one word. He waited with bated breath for his mother to continue.

“The body was of a retired police commissioner I know, Renjun. And he was slaughtered.” 

Renjun’s breathing stuttered, his mind suddenly going into hyperdrive. It was like everything inside him was going to implode with thoughts, he suddenly couldn’t breathe. Heran immediately noticed the increase in his breathing and tried to calm him down.

“Renjun, relax. It wasn’t you. It couldn’t have been you, son.”

“But you said the blood matched!” He wheezed out the words.

He could have killed that person. And all the people who died in the Preserve. He may have not remembered anything, or he may have not been conscious throughout the process but he couldn’t help but think and jump to conclusions. It didn’t help that he had been suspecting that he was involved in the previous murders even before. To make matters worse, it just confirmed his theories about himself.

In the grand scheme of things, Renjun thought that everything seemed to have pointed to him as the suspect. And it kills him to think that the next time he blacks out, it would be his loved ones that he could possibly hurt next.

“I did.” Heran cupped his face in her hands and forced him to control his breathing, guiding him patiently. “But I didn’t say that it was your doing. Renjun, we’re still investigating. Everyone knew you, and they believed that it couldn’t have been you.”

Heran’s voice was stern. The finality in her words had shut him up.

Though, Renjun was still not placated. Everyone was investigating to prove that he was innocent, not to find out the truth.

If they succeeded, it would be good for him. Better even. But Renjun couldn't help but wonder, if no one was determined to find out the real culprit, then what about the other people who have been murdered? How will they and their families get their closure? How will their deaths be brought the justice they deserve?

Soon enough, a nurse came in for the regular check up, conveniently interrupting their conversation. He reminded Heran to only feed Renjun soft food for now.

Even after the conversation was over and he was laid down to rest further, it still didn’t make Renjun feel at ease.

*

“You just shout when you need me, okay?”

Heran knocked on his room and stood in front of Renjun’s opened bedroom door. She had her hair loose. And she was in comfortable clothes, ready for bed. Though, she looked hesitant to leave Renjun alone.

“Yes, mom.” Renjun said, smiling softly. He nodded to the general direction of her room. “Go to sleep already. You look like you need it more than me.”

Sighing, she took a step forward and squeezed his hand tightly as if that would keep Renjun away from the oncoming dangers she was presuming in her mind. “You worry me, son.”

_ And that’s what I hate the most, _Renjun thought. He turned his palm and returned the gesture.

"I will be fine, mom.”

“You’ve said that countless of times but still you-”

She didn’t continue her sentence, lips thinning at the end of it to cut it off in frustration. Maybe thinking that if she did, it would make the reality seem far off in the distance. Renjun’s heart constricted.

“Trust me.” Renjun said. “I always came back safe, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know how long that luck will go on for.” Heran grinned, though small, but it was genuine. “Even cats only have nine lives, Renjun.”

“Hmm, I’ll make sure to outlive every single one of those four legged spawns of Satan, then.”

"You better."

Heran went to her room after the atmosphere became lighter with that, bidding him goodnight and hugging him. He waited until his mother had closed her door before he closed his and locked it.

Renjun took in the quietness of his room. It was the same as when he had left it, though he would imagine that his mom had made his bed and changed the sheets during his time in the hospital as it looked neat and smelled fresh when he laid down in it after a few seconds of just staring at it.

With Renjun being awake and with no physical injuries or sleep disorder present, Renjun was released from the hospital after two days of constant follow ups, check ups and interviews. The doctors were fascinated by his fast recovery from the fatigue, but Renjun blamed his body’s resilience to his determination to get the hell away from there and find Jeno.

On the days that he was admitted to the hospital, not once did Jeno visit him. Nor any of the Lee’s for that matter. It was obvious that his mother was still in contact with Yeeun for the investigation. So it kind of hurt Renjun’s feelings when they didn’t bother to drop by his room, or at least, check up on him.

He was worried about it. What if something bad happened to the pack and everyone was collectively avoiding talking about them because they were worried it would affect Renjun’s recovery and mental state? Renjun didn’t dwell on it that much (he did). He figured they wouldn’t do that to him since his mother knew how much the Lee’s mattered to him at this point.

However, it was still a grave concern to Renjun that it would always hover at the forefront of his mind all day. What could he do? There was only so much a person could do when they’re stuck in the hospital. Renjun tended to overthink when he was bored.

Jaemin and Lucas were a constant presence while he was there. Lucas, being back from the summer trip in the Bahamas that his parents had planned, and Jaemin, having finished his summer internship at the local publication, took up most of Renjun’s visiting hours and attention.

Annoying as they were, Renjun appreciated their company in more ways than anyone could have imagined. But of course, they didn't have to know that.

He was glad for them. Honestly, he thought he’d go crazy overthinking what happened if it weren’t for the distraction that his two friends had intentionally provided.

It was kind of surprising when Jaemin had not mentioned Donghyuck once in his many visits. But he guessed that was only part of the fact that everyone seemed to be mutely avoiding the topic of the wolves and the incident in front of him.

Renjun stopped asking when even Jeno wouldn’t answer his calls or texts. He figured he would find out the answer to his questions himself once he got out of the hospital. There must be a reason behind this evasion.

He was still contemplating whether he should inform Jeno that he was finally released from the hospital by sending him a quick message when there was a series of light taps on his window.

Certain that he didn’t have to double check who it was, Renjun got up. There was only one person who would prefer his window than his front door as his mode of entrance.

Jeno carefully entered his room once Renjun unlatched the window to let him in. The lycan landed on his floor with a light thud, looking out of place with his disheveled clothes and wind-rustled hair.

“Jeno...” Renjun gulped. Then, he frowned. “What are you doing here?"

In a few quiet, hurried steps, Jeno immediately covered Renjun’s mouth to muffle the last of his words with a hand as he tilted his head to the side, eyes widened in slight panic at the volume of his voice before.

Renjun was stunned as he stared at the other questioningly but stayed silent obediently. He realized belatedly that Jeno was listening to the sounds of their house.

After a few seconds, the lycan dropped his hand and backed away from him like he was burned. Renjun painfully missed the hand that was on his mouth mere seconds ago.

“Don’t be too loud. Your mom is still awake.” Jeno explained in a quiet voice, slightly looking sheepish. “And I’m not supposed to be here.”

Renjun should be mad, he thought as he watched the space between them widen with each step that Jeno had taken. His lips twitched distastefully.

Still, the lycan looked beautiful under the pale moonlight that was drifting through the glass behind him like a halo. Jeno was glowing as he breathed out puffs of air-- like something that belonged to the cosmos. At that moment, he looked like a true child of the moon, so ethereal and out of reach.

Renjun couldn’t think of anything else besides the desperate need to touch him now that he got over the initial surprise. He wanted to be in close proximity with Jeno that even dust couldn’t come in between the cracks of their bodies. He wanted to snatch Jeno away from the sky so he could fall into Renjun’s earthly embrace. He wanted to breathe him in and never breathe out.

The need was overwhelming. The want, even more so. And he was nothing but vulnerable to it.

So Renjun surged forward, throwing all of his inhibitions away to envelope Jeno with his arms, knocking the other until his back had hit the window pane with a low thud.

Jeno radiated the warmest feeling he had ever felt. Without much to argue about, Renjun had never felt safer anywhere else than in his embrace.

“Where were you?” Renjun croaked out on Jeno’s neck as he clung to the other’s shoulders like a lost soul.

Hands snaked around his waist to secure him in his place as Jeno leaned in to take him in. The lycan audibly inhaled his familiar scent and Renjun did the same. While doing so, he blushed profusely at the reminder that Jeno was probably scenting him right now.

Rubbing his cheek against Renjun's temple, the lycan mixed their scents so Jeno would rid him of the stark clinical smell of the hospital that was sticking to Renjun's skin from his days of staying in there. Clearly, Renjun understood that Jeno wanted him to bask in what would become their own shared smell soon.

Doing this was probably more intimate if he was a wolf and he should be more mindful of the consequences of his actions in the future. Nevertheless, Renjun had only tightened his hold onto the other, docile in Jeno's arms.

Jeno smelled like the forest and the night breeze with an overwhelming and undeniable scent of just _ him. _ Renjun had long associated the smell to the comfort only the warmest of the fireplaces and hot chocolate on a winter evening could ever bring him.

“I’m sorry.”

“You should be.”

“I know.”

Scoffing petulantly, Renjun picked up his head from Jeno’s shoulder to gauge his expression. Biting his lip, he realized that Jeno looked exhausted up close, there were bags under his eyes. But those were nothing compared to the guilt that was written on the lines of his face. Something in Renjun broke.

“Where were you?” He repeated, gentler this time. Unclasping his hands at the back of Jeno’s neck, he cupped his face, carefully examining it. “Are you okay? You look like shit.”

Jeno breathed out a laugh at that, looking a little relieved, but still, it was short and his expression was back to looking like he had done something wrong. Renjun didn’t like it.

“You’re really asking me that? When you’re the one who just got back from the hospital?”

“Well, yes, you idiot. I was hospitalized but that doesn’t mean I cannot be worried over you. Answer my question."

Jeno looked stricken at that. But it went away and immediately went back to the expression of guilt. Renjun _ really _ hated that expression on his face.

"I'm okay. Better now that I know you're alright. Don't fret yourself over me. You should be more worried about yourself."

He gently thumbed over the skin underneath Jeno’s eye, wishing he could chase that damned forlorn expression away.

“I can’t not be worried, Jeno. You, Yeeun, Donghyuck. The pack. Not once did anyone pay me a visit. Here, I thought all of you had taken a liking to me.”

He meant the last one as a joke to lighten up the atmosphere, but it came out sounding small and insecure. Like he was seeking for validation, because that was what he was truly feeling, deep inside. He genuinely felt that the pack had come to like him as much as he liked them.

Embarrassingly enough, Renjun knew that he sounded needy. But the lack of their presence during his time at the hospital had disappointed his wavering heart.

It didn’t feel good. And in the end, he knew that he could take the mental and physical blow of what happened to him in stride if only Jeno had dropped by even if it was just for a few minutes.

“I wanted to see you.” Jeno said in a low voice. “But your mom… She was upset and disappointed.”

“Mom? What did she do?” Renjun frowned, a disgusting feeling rising like bile inside him.

Jeno smiled bitterly. “She didn’t want us anywhere near you while you were recovering. And honestly, it’s okay, Renjun.” He said the last sentence hurriedly to cut Renjun off when he started to open his mouth to say his protests. _ “It’s okay. _ We understand where she was coming from. And she wasn’t rude about it. She asked if we could give you space until you recover. And we agreed that it was best for you if we did, we respected her request. And it's really okay. She updated us about you when she and Yeeun discuss things about the investigation." He sighed. Then, "She is your mother first and foremost, after all. Your only family. And we failed to do what we promised to her. We couldn’t keep you safe no matter how much we wanted to. And that… that really, _ really _fucking sucked and I hated it. But what happened had already happened. I’m truly sorry.”

“Okay.” Renjun said after a moment of silence. 

"Okay? Okay, what?" Jeno looked confused, his brows meeting slightly in the middle.

Renjun wanted to kiss it away. He wanted to kiss every distressed line that had etched itself on Jeno’s beautiful face. But he held himself still because he had to say what was on his mind first.

“But you have to know that if I had my way, I wouldn’t care what my mom said to you before. I wanted you there when I woke up. I needed you there, Jeno. But you weren’t. And that really hurt me. I thought you care about me.”

“I do. I swear I do, Renjun.” Again, Jeno’s expression turned into a shade of bitter guilt and cold panic. “I wanted to sneak into your hospital room everyday that you were there. But Yeeun reasoned out with me until I understood. I’m really sorry.”

Renjun was getting sick of Jeno apologizing for something he didn’t have to apologize for. He didn’t need to feel sorry for situations that were out of his control.

Also, after thinking about it, Renjun perfectly understood where each of the parties were coming from.

By the end of the day, he realized that what his mother did was the best for everyone. They all needed time and space to recuperate from the blow of what had happened. To think where everything went wrong. To _ think _ clearly without everyone’s augmented feelings piling up on one another and getting in the way of the problem at hand.

They all needed time off from each other to just _ think. _

Still, that didn’t stop Renjun from wanting to see Jeno. To make sure that he was still there for Renjun. And hearing that Jeno tried to see him, _ wanted _ to see him as much as he did, Renjun’s heart was blissed out.

"It's okay, Jeno. Like you said, what's done is done. There's nothing much we can do about it but move forward and try to learn from the past."

Jeno winced. "Still. You can't blame me for feeling like this. Renjun, I was there when you went missing. I feel terrible for not realizing that something bad had happened to you. I should have. But I didn't. At this point, I can do nothing but apologize-"

Rolling his eyes, Renjun decided to stop the on-coming unnecessary apology by pulling Jeno’s face down and firmly pressing his lips on his.

Jeno’s movements and breathing stilled, completely surprised to his core by Renjun’s action. Actually, Renjun was surprised too. But he recovered quickly.

Because he was kissing Jeno Lee, a pureblood lycan and wow, wouldn't that be _The_ _Story_ to tell your grandchildren in the future?

Though, if he was being honest, the kiss wasn’t fairytale-like as the books had described it. It was anticlimactic, even. Renjun’s lip hurt because it clashed a little too harshly on Jeno’s teeth, and the angle of their faces were slightly awkward.

Nevertheless, among other things, this raw and out of the blue kiss was something that only both of them shared.

Needless to say, when the lycan finally got over his surprise and took the lead in their unprompted lip-lock session, all of Renjun's initial reasons for kissing Jeno flew right out of the window. Jeno tilted his head to the side and adjusted the angle of his face to deepen the kiss.

Then, he was properly kissing Renjun this time. And nothing had ever felt so _ right. _

It hit Renjun like a tidal wave.

It didn't feel like a fairy tale because it was something _ real. _

Kissing Jeno was as intimate as it was reassuring. As grounded as it was liberating. They poured whatever else they wanted to say in that one kiss. And there was _ a lot _that they wanted to tell each other.

To Renjun, kissing Jeno was an experience he would never forget. It was _ fucking euphoric. _

Jeno tasted him passionately, licking the inside of his mouth as if he was a saccharine sweet treat he had been longing to have. He moved his lips in tandem with Renjun’s as he guided the kiss to a puncturing dance of breathless hedonia. They engaged in getting lost in each other's mouths for a while, temporarily forgetting who or where they were.

Soon enough, he was beginning to run out of air as Jeno's kisses turned searing, as if he intended to burn Renjun from the tips of his tongue. Each movement of his lips was like the missing matchstick to the gasoline that was sleeping soundlessly inside Renjun, waiting to be ignited, wanting to be sparked.

The room could burn down from the heated flames that were coming from their bodies. The whole world could even fall into an apocalyptic chaos right at this very moment- Renjun knew that Jeno would never let him go anytime soon. And he was fucking on board with that.

Renjun didn’t care if he died of asphyxiation in that moment if it meant that he would never have to stop kissing Jeno until the last air in his lungs had left him.

He felt as Jeno’s breath hitched, a stutter of air against his mouth, when Renjun curled his fingers around a flock of his hair, tugging on the strands gently until he elicited another approving noise from the lycan. The quiet noises that they made spread a warmth in Renjun’s body up to the tips of his fingers and toes, making them fizzle like a Chenin Blanc with want, until it gathered into a focal point on his center. Jeno’s kiss and touches made him feel feverish and dizzy without being ill.

And when Jeno’s hands migrated to his hips to tug him infinitely closer to his body, Renjun felt like he was going to explode.

“Jeno…” Renjun whispered when he forced himself to part with the other, catching his breath and his sanity altogether. Jeno stayed silent as he opted to rest his forehead on Renjun’s, patient as he waited for him to continue his sentence.

If he was being honest, Renjun didn’t know what he wanted to say at that moment. Or rather, he didn’t know where to start.

There were a lot of things that he still wanted to say out loud, but when he looked at Jeno and saw the blatant want in his eyes as they flicker in electric blue with an intensity he had never seen before, all of his words left him in a flash.

Jeno’s breath was hot on his cheeks, and his lips looked so red, wet and inviting. Renjun caused that. He shivered at the thought.

_ “Jeno…” _ He breathed the name like a mantra, except Renjun’s voice came out in a needy whine.

He realized then that he wanted Jeno _ so much _it pained him to even think about it.

Renjun brought his body impossibly closer to Jeno’s, hugging him tighter. He scratched his blunt nails on the other’s nape, hoping the action would convey what he wanted to say.

Instantly, Jeno released a groan, gripping his hips harshly in a way that he was certain would bruise the next day. It made Renjun release a puff of air, blinking slowly and dizzily. The noises Jeno made were like a drug to his ears. Addicting.

“I got you.” Jeno said. Renjun’s knees almost gave in at the sound of it. Jeno’s voice sounded as strained as Renjun’s did. So, when Jeno asked, “Bed?” Renjun could only reverently nod in anticipation, not trusting his own voice.

Jeno was careful with his actions as he guided them both to Renjun's bed. As he followed Renjun and carefully laid on top of him, not breaking eye contact, Jeno soothed his lips and hushedly coaxed it to open for him over and over once again. Renjun welcomed him in his embrace, mind slowing down into mush until all he could think about and feel all over him was _ Jeno, Jeno, _ and _ Jeno. _

The previous fire was still there, burning brightly between them. But somehow, the heat had turned sluggish as they laid on the bed. Feverish kisses turned languid and searing touches turned into gentle caresses.

Renjun loved it.

He wanted nothing more than to stop time in that moment. Just Jeno, him and this inexplicable feeling that they share between them. He wished so badly that they could stay the way they are until the sun falls from the sky.

Jeno made him feel like a star on the brink of dying- only to explode like a supernova.

He felt so overwhelmed by the culmination of his feelings for Jeno that he got confused when Jeno removed his lips from his and stared at his face, watching him both in wonder and worry.

“Renjun…” Jeno said. “Why are you crying? D-did I do something wrong?”

Renjun opened his mouth to protest that _ no, he wasn’t crying, what was Jeno talking about? _

But he was.

As soon as he tried to speak up, only a whine came out of his lips. There was a lump in his throat, a loose cork on his mind. He felt wetness on his cheeks as tears flowed down seamlessly from his eyes. Shocked, Renjun soon felt embarrassed for crying in the middle of their make out session.

He couldn’t help it, everything was suddenly too much for him and he was feeling all of it at once. He shook like a leaf under Jeno’s hovering safeness, baring himself completely emotionally vulnerable for the first time ever since all of this had started. Renjun was suddenly just so fucking exhausted and blissed out in relief at the same time.

Relief, because he realized Jeno was there. He was real. And Renjun knew he would be there for as long as he needed him to be.

But for Christ’s sake, Renjun was a total disaster and now he was scared. Jeno probably wouldn’t even want anything to do with him anymore. Because of that, he cried even more.

Jeno looked panicked as he fussed to wipe away the tears from Renjun’s face, hushing him like one would do to a child.

“Hey, I’m sorry. We can stop. I-I’ll stop, yeah? We’ll do things your way. We can take it slow, Renjun.”

“No, no. It’s not you. It’s not that.” Renjun said wetly.

“Oh.” Blinking, Jeno tried to hide the confusion on his face, but Renjun knew him well enough to tell that the other had questions. “Okay, but what’s wrong? If it’s not me, then what is it, Renjun? I want to help you but I can’t if you won’t tell me.”

“I’m scared, Jeno.” He nodded as he whispered in between his sniffles. “I’m afraid.”

"What are you so afraid of that had you crying?"

_ A lot. Going to university. Leaving my mom. Losing in contact with my friends. Being alone. The monster who's tormenting me. But most importantly, I'm afraid of you and the things you make me feel. _

They both knew the answer to that question. However, kissing Jeno had destroyed the wall of the dam that kept his feelings and thoughts secured inside.

Renjun couldn't find it in him to say the words he wanted to voice out loud. He feared dismissal and rejection, so he just decided to avoid it all at once by not speaking.

“I’m here. It’s okay. I won’t ever let anything happen to you again. I promise.” Jeno said soothingly, his gaze softening when Renjun didn't speak, which only made him sob like a kid as he buried his face on Jeno’s shirt, seeking the comfort of the smell that he was so familiar with already. “It’s okay, Renjun.” Jeno gulped and slowly lifted off of Renjun to lie beside him on the bed. He adjusted their positions so Renjun could be in his embrace, snuggly tucked under his chin. “It’s okay to be scared, Renjun. I am too. What’s important is that we don’t let it get in the way of our living.”

Jeno was right. However, though he already knew that deep inside him, it was still not enough to keep the fear from dangerously wrapping him in its haunting embrace.

He ended up crying some more. He cried his frustrations and grievances. He cried his relief and thankfulness. Renjun cried until his eyes were dry of tears and he couldn’t anymore. 

And the lycan had just let him, listening to his sobs while keeping him locked in the safe confines of his embrace. Sometimes kissing his temple, his hair, his nose or his tear stained eyes. All of those, Jeno did with the utmost patience and carefulness.

When his sobs had turned into hiccups, Renjun wiped the streaks of wetness on his cheeks with the back of his hand, sniffling as he wondered how Jeno could be so mature when their ages were not so far apart from each other.

“I’m sorry for ruining tonight.” Renjun croaked once he was settled. But Jeno only shook his head.

“You don’t have to apologize. I just hope it made you feel better.”

“How do you do it?”

“What do you mean?”

“How do you stay strong and calm in situations like this? How do you always manage to comfort me when-” Renjun stopped, contemplating his next words and if he should actually say what was on his mind. In the end, it didn’t matter.

Because he and Jeno were friends, being honest with each other should come naturally.

“When what, Renjun?” Jeno coaxed, his voice bewildered.

“When _ something like that _ had happened to you before?”

The lycan frowned. “I’m not sure I’m following you properly.”

“Jeno, I’ve heard what happened with your parents. Yeeun told me.” He said in a voice just above a whisper. He felt Jeno tensed under his hold, not saying anything. He was afraid that the lycan would bolt, so he tightened his hold onto him, burying his face on Jeno’s chest, missing the way Jeno’s jaw had locked, eyes sharpening at nothing. After a while, Jeno relaxed in his arms. Taking that as a sign that Jeno wouldn’t run away, Renjun winced, irritated at himself for being stupid. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“It’s okay.” Jeno said, though his voice was strained and the words sounded like they were forced out. Renjun didn’t ask anymore. Sighing, Jeno curled onto him as he pressed his nose on the crown of Renjun’s hair. “You ask why I act the way I do when faced with difficult situations?”

“You don’t have to answer. It was stupid of me-”

“It’s because people like us are forced to grow up faster, to mature way earlier than everyone else, because of how we are born.” Jeno smiled bitterly. “Being a supernatural may have its perks. But more often than not, we’re closer to death than humans are. We are strong. Because that's what is expected of us. It’s just nature.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, no. You don’t have to be. It’s not like it’s going to change the way things are. I’m used to it already.”

“But that’s the problem, Jeno. You shouldn’t be.” Leaning away from Jeno by just a fraction so he could see the other, Renjun lifted a hand to stroke the side of Jeno’s hair, softly and gently. The lycan just watched him with eyes half-lidded. “You did well for faring strongly all this time. Thank you for holding out for so long. Because if you didn’t, if you hadn't. You wouldn’t be here with me." He smiled softly. "You worked hard, Jeno Lee, and for that, thank you.”

For a moment, Renjun saw Jeno’s eyes glisten with something unshed under the grey pale light of the moon. He thought Jeno would cry, but he didn’t. Instead, he gently cupped Renjun’s face in his hands and slotted his lips on his.

The lycan kissed him with gratitude for simply acknowledging his hardships and for commending him for getting through it. Renjun humbly parted his lips to welcome him.

For some reason, kissing Jeno was as natural to Renjun as breathing was. It should’ve felt awkward, engaging in something so intimate with someone you’re not even dating.

But somehow, with Jeno, the basic rules didn’t matter. Nothing mattered at all except for the fact that he was kissing Jeno, and Jeno was kissing him.

The kiss was pure and sincere. _ They _ felt genuine.

So, Renjun was relaxed. When they parted for air, he suddenly blurted out in a daze, “I met _ it, _Jeno.”

He was surprised at his own words at first. Renjun had never said anything about what happened when he went missing, or at least, not to anyone other than his mother that day he woke up. And even then, it was hard for him to say anything about the monster that he met in the Preserve.

For some reason he was left unquestioned about it during his stay in the hospital. His mother must’ve pulled some strings for people to not question him while he was recovering, or she must’ve done it so that Renjun wouldn't have to relieve something gravely traumatic so soon over and over again. And he appreciated the time it gave him to pull himself together.

But he needed to tell it to someone now or else he would go crazy.

“What?” Jeno asked, voice stilted as his eyes raked Renjun’s face for the answer.

Renjun inhaled deeply, gathering all his wits and courage to say the next words. “I said I met the creature that was haunting me.”

Jeno propped up on his elbow to look at him properly. “What? How? When?”

Renjun swallowed. “After I called you and my phone died, I met… I met _ something _ in the Preserve. And it said that it was the perpetrator for the torment that I was being put through. I-I’m pretty sure that it was also the one who was doing all the killings that was happening all over Wilhemville, Jeno. And it was-” Renjun’s voice broke but he forced himself to speak the next words. “It said that it was killing people for _ me. _ So, I would notice it. Jeno, I think I killed all those-”

Jeno moved his head far enough so Renjun would see the disapproving frown on his face. “Don’t say that. You didn’t kill anyone, Renjun. You’re not at fault here.”

“But it clearly said that it was killing people for my attention, Jeno! How could I- How could I not be responsible for that?”

“Shhh. Stop.” Jeno soothed the teetering hysteria away from Renjun’s taut body by drawing comforting circles on his back. “Renjun, _ you _ didn’t do it. No matter what that fucker said, you didn’t tell it to do anything or kill anyone. It’s obvious that the monster is a wicked and twisted creature by nature. It probably said those words to you because it knew how much it would bother you. Don’t let it cage you in something you’re not. You’re not a killer Renjun. You’re a good person. I know that for a fact.”

Renjun’s frantic breathing stopped. He suddenly remembered what the monster had said to him. Something about how his fear tasted delicious. It bothered him. Renjun’s lips parted, mouth drying at the possibility that he had just stumbled upon something very important.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in books or on the internet. And I never want to ever see it again if I could. I tried to stop it for as long as I could. But somehow, it could easily bypass mountain ash like it was nothing.” He bit his lip and fisted the front of Jeno’s shirt like it was a lifeline. “Every time I close my eyes, I fear that it would appear before me. Because it was so sure that we would meet again. It _ promised _ that we would.”

Again, his own words had struck a chord within Renjun. The creature could go through a mountain ash barrier so easily like it was just a walk in the park. Slowly, the idea had started to come together in his mind, piece by piece, they fall into their rightful places. And he could feel his brain stirring on overdrive.

With a faraway look in his eyes, Renjun pursed his lips, feeling elated and incredibly scared that he truly might be onto something.

“I won’t let that happen, Renjun.” Hugging him tighter, Jeno brushed his lips on Renjun’s forehead bringing him back to reality. “I’d die first before it gets its hands on you again.”

Renjun’s heart would have melted at that. Well, okay, it did melt a little bit. But his mind was going a mile a minute with his newfound discovery, or rather, the impending discovery he was going to confirm once he got his hands on one of the Lee’s books about supernatural creatures.

But then Jeno was pulling away from him with a curious purse on his lips. “Why do you smell… excited? I don’t think that you should be excited to know that I wanted to die for you?”

“No, Jeno.” Renjun chuckled, startled. “Jesus, don’t smell me.”

“I can’t help it. I’m so close to you, you’re practically all I could smell, right now.”

“That’s cute and all.” Renjun ran a hand through his dishevelled hair and sniffed a few times to clear his clogged nose. He needed to get up and get his shit together so they could start to resolve this problem once and for all. “But I’ve really got to tell you something that just occurred to me and I need you to listen.”

Renjun caught Jeno’s stare who was looking up at him, his hair was a halo on Renjun’s pillow. He looked soft and thoroughly kissed. It was tempting to just lay back down on his bed and make out with the most beautiful person he had ever laid his eyes on, who was already in Renjun’s bed for him to take pleasure in for fuck’s sake.

However, he still had a fucking monster to kill. Or stop, whichever would become a necessity to the situation. But yes, Renjun didn’t have the luxury to be a hormonal teenager right now. It physically pained him to tear his eyes away from Jeno, but he had to. For everyone’s sake.

His feelings for Jeno would have to be further divulged into and disclosed once all of this was over, Renjun decided.

“What is it?” Jeno inquired.

“I think I know how to find our monster of the summer.”

Renjun fully got up to pick up his laptop from his desk before he went back to the bed to join the lycan who also went ahead and straightened himself to a sitting posture. He sat beside Jeno, resting his back on the headboard. They’re close enough for the sides of their bodies to align and touch. Renjun could honestly get used to that.

He fired up his laptop and opened his Skype as soon as he could. Jeno was just watching everything with his eyes narrowed.

“What are you doing-” Jeno blurted out when he couldn’t take the silence and anticipation anymore. “Wait, are you on Skype with _ my _sister?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Renjun chanced a glance at him. “Because I need a book from your library and your house is too far.”

“Oh.” Jeno just replied. Then, his eyes widened. “Wait, she didn’t know-”

The lycan’s words were abruptly interrupted when Yeeun’s face appeared on the screen together with her cheerful voice. _ “Renjun! How are you?” _

“I’m recovering just fine, Yeeun. Thanks.” Renjun’s lips curled into a genuine smile, Yeeun’s happy tone affecting him like usual.

Yeeun released a sigh of relief. _ “Thank God, you’re okay. I heard you got discharged from the hospital today. I’m sorry we couldn’t visit you-” _ She stopped when she noticed the person beside Renjun. Then, a frown adorned her face as she hissed her next words. _ “Jeno? Jeno Lee, what the fuck are you doing there? You idiot, do you want to be handcuffed and arrested for trespassing into the Sheriff's house?” _

Jeno flinched and winced. “Technically, I didn’t trespass. Renjun had let me in. And I could hear that the Sheriff is already asleep.”

_ “That’s not the point! His mother told us to stay away for a few days.” _

“I know that.” Jeno scoffed. “But you answered his Skype call so you’re no better.”

_ “It’s not even the same you-” _

“It’s okay, Yeeun. My mom won’t have to know.” Renjun interjected before the siblings had started to bicker again and he would be forgotten. Seriously, the two would turn into squabbling children every time they talk about anything. It was honestly adorable. But Renjun was onto something here so he lead the video call back to its initial purpose immediately as soon as the two fell silent. “Anyway, I called for a reason.”

_ “Hmm, what is it? Anything I can do to help, just say it. _” Yeeun said distractedly, looking behind the camera for a second.

“I need one of your books about the supernaturals. The one with the blue hardbound cover? It was one of the old ones.”

Suddenly, Johnny appeared in the frame and sat beside Yeeun with a curious look on his expression. _ “Why do you need it? Not that we mind, of course, you’re free to read books from the pack’s library. I’m just curious.” _

“Oh, hey Johnny. Perfect timing. Because I think I just found significant information towards the monster that was haunting me and the Preserve.”

The three members of the pack all stared at Renjun with equally cautious looks in their eyes. Johnny recovered the fastest out of the three. He raised his eyebrows in amusement and curiosity.

_ “Huh. Would you like to elaborate on that, kid?” _

Renjun played briefly on his bottom lip, thinking about how he was going to phrase out his explanation. Jeno just watched him eagerly awaiting his next words. Inhaling deeply, he prepared himself to speak.

“As I was about to tell Jeno, before I blacked out and after our phone call, the monster showed itself to me. It was- it looked like it has a human form. And for some reason, it had these bandages wrapped around its body. Like a burned victim. It had on an old soldier uniform from a war. I couldn’t see its face, but its teeth, they were pointed and jagged. It spoke weirdly.”

Renjun shook his head to clear the teetering fear away. Then, he continued as the three were all hanging onto his words like a man who fell would to the edge of a cliff.

“At first, I thought that it was because of how its teeth were hindering its speech. You know, like when people have braces and it is a little bit hard for them to form words at first. But when I thought back to it, there was more to it than that. The monster had an _ accent _adding to the fact that his mouth was literally busted up with sharp like canines.” Renjun sighed, wincing as he stopped. The more he spoke, the more he felt that the confidence he had in his theory was wavering. “I know I sound like I’m making a big deal out of nothing, but I’m certain that the monster had an accent that was clearly not American or English. Some words came out thick and heavy. The intonation was a little exaggerated. It wasn’t an English speaking accent, that, I’m sure of. ”

Yeeun hummed in the short silence that followed._ “I can’t say that what you’re saying isn’t true. Though, I’m sure that it needs to be looked into as well. At this point, you’re our only key into stopping this maniac from killing more people in the near future.” _

Renjun frowned. “But how can you be sure that I wasn’t lying-”

_ “Jeno’s literally sitting beside you, kid. I’m pretty sure he would know if you were lying or not.” _ Johnny said with a snort, standing up and going away from the frame.

“Oh.” Renjun looked at Jeno curiously. The lycan gave him a small smile. It reassured him. Renjun felt the tension on his shoulders eased up.

_ “Besides, you wouldn’t be lying about something like this. I know you want this town to be safe as well. For everyone…” _ Yeeun stopped short assessing his expression then continuing. _ “And for your mom who’s always on the field.” _

“I keep telling him that but he keeps doubting himself.” Jeno interjected, huffing like a kid, making Yeeun startled out a laugh on the other side of the screen. Then, without missing a beat, he turned to stare into Renjun’s eyes, and murmured so that his next words would only float in the quiet air between them. “I wish you’d start putting trust in yourself a little bit more.”

Speechless at the words and at the sudden proximity of their faces, Renjun could only blush profusely. He would totally kiss Jeno right now-

_ “Lovebirds to Earth 101, hello?” _ Johnny’s voice interrupted his very inappropriate thoughts and broke them. Renjun turned his attention back to the call to see the Lee pack’s emissary holding a royal blue book. _ “Is this the book you were looking for?” _

Renjun was wondering where Johnny had ran off to when he went away from the video call a few seconds ago, turned out, he was fetching the book that Renjun was looking for. Recognizing it, he straightened up from his slouch and nodded.

“Yeah, that’s the book.”

_ “So, what else are we looking for in this?” _ Yeeun asked, taking the book from Johnny’s hands and flipping it open.

“Something that mentions shadows and doesn’t get affected by mountain ash.” Jeno answered when Renjun stayed quiet for a beat too long. “Could you maybe look for something that deals with dreams? Or unconsciousness, too?”

Renjun frowned. “Something that has something to do with fear.”

Yeeun nodded. _ “Gotcha.” _

*

If he was being honest, Renjun had thought that now that he had faced the monster and had a significant lot of information about it, figuring out what it actually was and how to properly dice it would come easily.

But boy he was so wrong.

After the initial Skype search that they did, considering all characteristics he had given, the things he had experienced, they all but pointed to a number of creatures. But one thing stood out the most.

It was called _ Batibot. _ It was a dream spirit, or rather, a spirit that specifically induce _ nightmare _ to feed on the fear of the dream dwellers. It would sit upon their chests as they struggle in their slumber, until the dream killed them. After further research, though, they had learned that the monster was only native to the country of the Philippines and upon checking with Johnny’s contacts, they were certain that none of it had migrated to Wilhemville, nor their country.

Defeated, Renjun could only sigh. They were back to square one. Yeeun told Renjun to rest for the day and that she and Johnny would make some more research and calls.

A few days went by with Heran putting Renjun on forced pseudo house arrest so that he would rest for more as the doctor had strictly told him. In his mother’s defense, he knew that she could sense that he was up to something that could possibly endanger his well being again.

However, to Renjun’s defense, he was _ always _ up to something stupidly dangerous these past few weeks whether he liked it or not. He’s literally bad luck personified with a little bit of sarcasm and wit on the sides.

But every night Jeno would still hang out with him, going through his window like the first time. So if Heran would find Jeno in Renjun’s room for every night that followed the first day he was discharged from the hospital, she really shouldn't be surprised.

Thankfully, Jeno was a werewolf and he would hear it before Renjun’s mother could even knock on the door. Therefore, they weren’t caught. Ever. 

Surprisingly, after their first heated kiss that one night, normalcy became talking and bickering like they used to do, but with the added lingering touches and gazes before they went to sleep. Jeno would always be out before he woke up, though. Because they still didn’t know when Heran’s ban on the Lee pack would be up.

They hadn’t kissed again after that one night. Devastating, Renjun knew, because he had kissed Jeno, and he enjoyed it very much so. Imagining it was already too much, but having gotten a taste of the lycan’s kiss but not being able to do it again even though he was just at an arm’s reach? Renjun felt toast.

He would like to kiss Jeno again, but they had this unspoken agreement that they wouldn’t go _ there _ until whatever this monster problem was, was resolved.

Seriously, this monster was the biggest cockblock of Renjun’s life right now. More than his mother, apparently. He wanted it gone before, but now he wanted it _ soon _ so he could kiss Jeno senseless and not be worried that something bad happening.

“What are you reading?” Jeno leaned behind Renjun’s chair to check out the screen of his laptop.

They were in his room again, reading countless obscure articles, whatever helpful lore he could find, about monsters who could cross mountain ash and feed on fear.

So far, Renjun had only gotten dice. Now, he was trying his hardest to translate a freaking _ Latin _ article because it seemed like it was onto something. If anyone asked Renjun when he’d learn the language, he would answer _ just now. _ With the help of Google-fucking-translate. Go figure. He was close to nowhere, but at least he was getting somewhere.

Renjun sighed, rubbing his hands on his face. “Seriously, why can’t all the useful articles just be in English? Why does it have to be in a dead language?”

“This article wouldn’t help us. Don’t bother.” Jeno said with a frown after scrolling down and scanning the page.

“How’d you know? What, you speak Latin now?”

He looked back at the lycan with a raised eyebrow and a teasing lilt on his lips. Renjun watched as Jeno went back to his bed where books from the Lee library were opened and scattered. He tried to tamp down the groan of appreciation at the sight of the other in his bed, and at the nagging thought of how _ right _ it felt to Renjun.

“Because the article is about sorcerers, Renjun. You couldn’t possibly be haunted by those. Their magic is more… elemental.” Jeno leaned back on the bed and nonchalantly shrugged. “Also, yeah.”

Renjun felt like he was just slapped in the face. “Excuse me? Did I hear that right? You _ speak _ Latin?” He swivelled his chair to fully turn to the other now, feeling a little dizzy at the information that Jeno knew a dead language. He dragged his chair with his feet to where Jeno was to demand answers. “How?!”

Jeno looked confused. “Well, our parents made us learn it for as long as I could remember. Because it would be helpful. And almost all the books in our library about supernaturals were written in Latin. Yeeun’s better in it, of course. But I’d like to think I’m not so bad myself.”

Renjun flailed his hands. As if that was something normal. He could not believe that Jeno was being cool and nonchalant with this.

“What that hell, Jeno? That’s literally the coolest thing.”

Jeno raised an eyebrow, an amused smile playing on his lips. “Cooler than me turning into a wolf?”

Renjun opened his mouth, then closed it immediately. “Well, second to it. But still. How many languages do you know? I could understand Mandarin Chinese, but I’m shit at speaking it since I rarely use it.”

Jeno seemed to think deeply about it for a while before shaking his head. “Well, the ones I’m fluent in are Latin, Mandarin, Japanese, Hindi. Oh, and French.”

“Japanese? French? _ Fucking Hindi? _Get out.”

Renjun could not believe that Jeno could speak so many languages and _ not _ be confused about which one to use when talking. If it was him, his brain would probably slip and mix all of those to make an incoherent sentence.

Jeno rolled his eyes, obviously thinking that Renjun was overreacting. He was totally not. Jeno was _ under _acting. Whatever, Mr. Language Genius. Fuck off, seriously. He could not be any more perfect than he already was. Renjun was goddamn smitten, it was disgusting. 

“It’s nothing. I had to learn them because of different circumstances and not because I want to brag about it or anything.” Then, Jeno smirked. “Why? It turns you on?”

Renjun could feel his neck and cheeks heat up at the sudden cheekiness in the glint of Jeno’s eyes. But he was anything but a loser. So he leaned in, rested his hands on Jeno’s legs for leverage and smiled sweetly.

“Yeah. So, you better use them in the future to make me scream.”

The lycan’s reaction was immediate. Jeno’s lips parted slightly as he took in the foxy expression that adorned Renjun’s face. Then, he sighed and shook his head, smiling. He reached up to lightly flick Renjun’s forehead and the smouldering current in the atmosphere dissipated.

“Let’s get back to work.”

“Coward.”

“You’re going to regret saying that.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Jeno narrowed his eyes but didn’t exactly remove Renjun’s hands on his thighs nor move away. Renjun could tell that the lycan wasn’t really annoyed or anything.

“You are such an unrepentant flirt. You know that right?”

“Yep.” He popped the last letter and watched Jeno follow the movement of his lips distractedly. “I intend to fully utilize that skill on you and you only. Also, you’re the one who started this. Don’t blame me for finishing it.”

“You’re going to be insufferable once this is all over.”

“Oh, that’s a promise I would love to keep.” He said with a wink.

Renjun had a triumphant grin when Jeno just rolled his eyes at him. He swivelled his chair back to his desk to find another article to read.

*

"Donghyuck?" Renjun was a bit surprised at the other’s appearance in his room, one night. Well, if _ a bit _ was jumping on his chair in surprise and hitting his knees on his desk when the other rolled inside his room through his window, that was. Annoyed, Renjun couldn’t help but sigh as he discreetly nursed his hurt knee. "Can't you wolves just use the front door like normal? It exists there for a reason."

"Your window is open and it's easier to climb in than knock."

Renjun's brows raised. "Only you people would say that." He shook his head in disbelief. He sat straight on his chair as he watched the wolf curiously look around his room. "So, what brought you here?"

Donghyuck turned back to him distractedly. "Jeno's a whiny ass and couldn't make it tonight. So, he sent me here. However, let it go on record that I'm _ not _ his errand boy. I'm merely here to satiate my curiosity." He glanced at the bed with narrowed eyes. "You didn't have sex in here, did you?"

If Renjun could see himself, he was sure that splotches of cherry red had spread itself on his cheeks down to his neck. It was suspicious, the way he choked on nothing, that was and he was sure that Donghyuck had caught it, with the way a mischievous grin was forming on his lips. The other could probably smell if Jeno and him had… _done_ _it_ in his bed and was just being blunt to fluster him. Stupid werewolves.

"We did _ not _ have sex in there. Or any surfaces in this house for that matter. Or anywhere. No sex. Nada. Zero. Zilch." Renjun sputtered ungraciously, flailing his hands.

"Hmm, but you so wish you did."

"I wish _ not!" _

Donghyuck cackled, the bastard, as he plopped down on Renjun's bed to sit, nose wrinkling once his laughter died down.

"You do know that your room _ reeks _ of yours and Jeno's mixed scents, right?"

"It does?" Renjun’s voice definitely did not go an octave higher than usual. And he definitely did not blush.

"Yes. It's disgustingly tooth-rotting." Donghyuck rolled his eyes. "As if you didn't know."

He didn't have a response to that. Honestly speaking, or thinking, Renjun kind of had an inkling what his room smelled like with how much Jeno spent time in it the past few days following his discharge. But he wasn't a wolf or any kind of supernatural with a keen sense of smell, so he could never confirm his suspicion.

Donghyuck just confirmed it though. And he looked miffed about it.

Was it _ that _ strong? Renjun wanted to know but he wasn't sure how to ask the other wolf.

"Why couldn't Jeno make it tonight, anyway?" He asked. When Donghyuck raised an eyebrow at him, Renjun sputtered. "Not that I don't like you here. I'm just curious."

"Yeeun needs him. Pack stuff." Shrugging, Donghyuck brought his phone out of his pocket and opened it.

"Oh. Okay." He nodded, figuring out that whatever it was, was not his business. Then, he motioned to his laptop. "I'm just gonna- yeah. Do whatever I was doing before you arrived."

Donghyuck only gave a non-committal hum and Renjun went back to reading the article he opened a few minutes ago.

After a while, Renjun was immersed in his research about their stupid monster when Donghyuck spoke up from his bed, breaking the comfortable silence that fell upon them.

"Are you and Jeno serious? Like. Dating serious?"

Renjun had never whipped his head so fast in his life it felt as if it was a centimeter away from flying off of his neck. He opened his mouth to deny the question, but then closed it after a beat because he couldn't.

Frowning, Renjun pursed his lips. They weren't dating. But when he thought about it, they _ looked _ like they kind of were? It was complicated and it was making his head dizzy.

"Uhm." Was Renjun's response. But Donghyuck was patient and gave him a look, waiting for him to continue. "We kinda agreed to postpone _ The Talk _ until we solve our monster problem. So, yeah. That's that."

Donghyuck was quiet for a moment, then he nodded. "Yeah, that doesn't sound like Jeno at all."

Renjun frowned at the tinge of surprise in the other's tone.

"What do you mean?"

"Jeno is… complicated." He answered with a wince. Donghyuck shifted on the bed, sitting on his hands and toeing the carpet beneath his feet. "Well, I mean, he's changed ever since we came back here. And I think that's partly, or mostly, thanks to you that he became more open and… approachable the past few weeks. I know it's shit to say that because of what's happening in this town right now. But it's true. And I think Yeeun noticed this too. Jeno's happier with you."

Not knowing what to say and a bit surprised, Renjun could only stare at Donghyuck.

Jeno's happier with him? The fact that both Yeeun and Donghyuck had said the same thing to Renjun made his heart swell with pride.

Because if there was one thing that he wanted the most, it was to make Jeno feel what he makes Renjun feel. And Jeno made him feel safe and _ blissful _whenever he's with him. Jeno made him feel like he could do anything he wanted to, reach anything he wished for, claim the world as his. Jeno made him feel strong and invincible, as if nothing could ever hurt him because they were together.

"I'm glad." Renjun smiled. "It was never my intention. But I'm glad to make a difference."

But something was bothering Renjun. It was just this pinch of curiosity that he needed to satiate.

"Was he-" He stopped himself to breathe. "What was he like? Before you guys came back."

Donghyuck puffed his cheeks, then scoffed. "He was so bad. Honestly, he was such an ass. He was just so rude all the time. Full of hatred and anger." He shrugged. "Can't really blame him, though. I think I'd be the same if I was put in his situation. I love him and I understand where he was coming from, but, man, it was just so hard to put up with him sometimes. I don't know how Yeeun does it. Juggling and struggling keeping an entire pack together and babysitting her temperamental brother." He shook his head. "He was the absolute worst, even more so when he got together with his witch ex-girlfriend-" Donghyuck stopped his words, eyes widening.

But it was too late now and Renjun had already caught the slip of the tongue. And he was determinedly going to get answers whether Donghyuck liked it or not.

"Witch ex-girlfriend?"

Donghyuck blinked. Then, he bit his lip before sighing. He was probably thinking _ screw it. _ After all, the name was already out there.

"Jeno's ex." He rolled his eyes in disgust. "His way, waaay older ex."

"Oh?" Renjun tilted his head to the side, curiosity getting the best of him.

“Yeah, she was a bad influence, to say the least.” Donghyuck shrugged. But there was a slight tension to the set of his shoulders as his eyes avoided Renjun’s general direction and focused on his phone. “A witch, I’m telling you. It was a good thing that Yeeun had talked some sense into Jeno and convinced him to dump her ass. That bitch almost sold him to a hunter. But she was dealt with already. Don’t worry about it.” The other turned to him and wiggled his eyebrows and looked at him mischievously. “Jeno’s all about you now and we approve. That’s all that matters.”

Renjun would’ve asked a few more questions, but it seemed that Donghyuck didn’t want to disclose anymore information, feeling uncomfortable that he was telling a story that wasn’t his to tell.

So, he ended up not asking anything anymore and just decided to let the topic drop to be picked up later with the person involved in the matter himself.

Donghyuck ended up leaving his house a little bit before midnight just as his mother was about to go home. Because technically, he still had school tomorrow as it was still in the middle of the week. Renjun had almost forgotten that Jeno and Donghyuck both had summer classes to catch up with their school’s curriculum. So, he didn’t let the other stay any longer and secured his window after the other had leapt out of it.

Soon, Renjun was alone again. 

The feeling felt foreign to him. He didn’t think that he had been fully alone by himself at night after he was hospitalized. His mom had always been with him in the hospital. And Jeno had always stayed by his side when he got home.

The house sounded so hollow in the silence of the night, and Renjun felt unsettled. As if the shadows would start moving to swallow him full if he ever so much as blink. But he calmed himself down, his mother would be home soon.

Renjun shouldn’t be scared. Ignoring the last few incidents, he had slept alone in this bed for hundreds of nights without anything bad happening, he could do it again. He kept repeating that thought in his head as he prepared to sleep, pulling the covers off the bed and settling comfortably in the middle, feeling colder now that there was no lycan furnace to spoon him through his sleep.

He settled on his side, nosing his way on the pillow that Jeno oftenly used whenever he slept over, inhaling the faint scent the other had left. If he closed his eyes and imagined the lycan putting his arms around him and pulling him in his embrace as he nestled in the warmth of his blanket, no one would know.

*

Renjun was having a dream.

He was in the Preserve again, but this time, he was walking with a purpose towards a place he was now very much acquainted with, regardless of his whether he was willing or not.

The Nemeton.

This time, he knew he was having a dream.

Or at least, he was certain that it was a dream. His surroundings were all a blur to Renjun, though he knew it was night, he couldn’t feel the coldness that the leaf dews emit, nor the roughness crunch of the ground under his feet. It was like he was floating, but he was not.

Renjun felt like a person beyond the fourth wall, sitting on a chair in a dark theater, seeing the dream play before his eyes like a movie, detached but also a little bit empathetic.

Mind still befuddled, he sensed his steps slowed as he entered the clearing. The moon was hiding behind the clouds tonight, thus, the place was basked in darkness. But he could still see through the shadows, much clearer than any normal human was supposed to.

His footsteps halted.

_ “You’re not the one who freed me.” _ He felt his lips move. But it wasn’t his voice. It was different, a little raspy, a little low, a little more muffled.

It was then that he noticed something on his face. No. Not just his face, he realized as soon as he noticed it. There was something constraining his entire head. Or around his entire head. It was itchy and kind of heavy, like a mask. He tried to lift a hand to touch it, but it was a futile attempt.

However, albeit hindered, he could still see, speak and breathe perfectly. Renjun didn’t have any chance to ponder longer when someone else spoke, another party hidden between the trees.

The person hummed thoughtfully as if a smile was playing on their lips. _ “Yes and no.” _

_ “Is that so?” _His person stayed calm as he tilted his head.

_ “Technically speaking, I wasn’t the one who performed the ritual for breaking you out of your cage.” _ The other person responded, still hidden but sounding very confident and easy-going. _ “What I am, though, is the one behind the witch that did.” _

Renjun was getting more and more interested in this conversation the more it progressed. His person moved forward until he could sit atop the Nemeton stump, feeling at home and unbothered. He looked at his hands, flipping it back and forth. He felt nothing wrong with them, they felt ordinary, but Renjun knew they weren’t his.

_ “I’m assuming this body isn’t the witch who performed the ritual?” _

_ “Yeah, she had to die.” _ The other person said with a shrug. _ “I found out she wasn’t going to honor our deal and hog you all to herself. Tsk, that’s too mean, isn’t it? I paid her in full, gave her the spell that would release you and she was still going to betray me. I did what I had to do. After all, it wasn’t just a small amount. But that didn’t matter, what mattered was the fact that she backed out on her word and went beyond my back. Too bad for her, I expected her to betray me, anyway. I learned from experience that witches are untrustworthy. So, I was prepared for it. Luckily, the spell only needed a blood sacrifice and an appropriate host. Her blood became the sacrifice. And you found a vessel, anyway.” _

_ “The caster usually would be the vessel for such summonings.” _ He felt his person pursed his lips. _ “But if that was the case, then, whose body am I possessing?” _

Renjun was stunned for a second.

So, that was why everything felt like he was watching from the bleachers. Maybe he was dreaming as someone else? He frowned slightly. Those hands he saw a while ago were the hands of the person that was… possessed?

_ “Let’s not worry about that.” _ The other person dismissed with a wave, pulling Renjun out of his reverie completely as he was forced to listen to their conversation again. _ “You’re out of your little prison, now. Isn’t that what’s more important?” _

_ “It is true that I’m finally outside after so long.” _ He breathed deeply, savoring the cold night air in the Preserve, ingraining the scent of woods and mildew to his memory. _ “How long has it been since I last inhaled the air from the outside? Ten years? A hundred? No, no. Probably, a few more than that. Last time I remember, the _ Seven Years War _ had just finished. How long ago was that?” _

_ “More or less two hundred and fifty years ago.” _

_ “Ah, that’s why this person’s memory of what the world looked like is a lot different from that I could remember. I’ve been sealed for too long. Much time had passed.” _

_ “Are you getting sentimental?” _

_ “There is so much that I have missed, boy.” _

_ “You’re free to see the world, now.” _

_ “I could feel the binding magic on me that links myself to you. So, tell me, am I really?” _He turned to the direction of the person's voice behind the tree. 

Renjun would’ve jolted at that revelation if this body hadn’t stayed poised and unmoving. Somehow, he could feel the other person’s smile even if he couldn’t see it. He felt uneasy, but at the same time, his person in this dream was still composed, calculating.

_ “Legends say you’re cunning and powerful. I’m really satisfied, you’re more powerful than I expected. I didn’t think you would notice. But then again, you’re an old spirit, so it would be underwhelming if you hadn’t.” _

_ “I’m a thousand years old. I’m probably older than your ancestors. You should know a simple magic like this wouldn’t hold me back for long.” _

_ “We’re a pretty old kind ourselves so I highly doubt that. Though, I admit, you are older than me by so many years.” _ The other person chuckled. _ “Like I said, it would be pretty disappointing if you can’t break free from a flimsy binding magic like this one. So, what’s stopping you from destroying the link?” _

His person didn’t answer, his eyes only stared firmly at the tree where the other person was hidden behind, focused and sharp.

Renjun was puzzled. If it was true that someone this old of a spirit could exist in the world, wasn’t it only pertinent that the magic within would grow with their age as well?

Time and experience were two of the greatest teachers. This person had both within an arm’s reach. So, truly, Renjun also wanted to know the reason behind the unbroken magic bind between his person and the one behind the tree.

_ “That’s right.” _ The person behind the tree broke the silence first, exclaiming in delight. _ “Your spark is close to diminishing at the moment. You haven’t fed for more than two hundred years. You can’t even kill a newly turned werewolf right now much less diffuse a simple magic like this one. Right now, you’re just a spirit possessing a human’s body, nothing more, nothing less. If you don’t feed soon, who knows what will happen? But you don’t need to worry about that. I have a deal to offer you.” _

The more Renjun heard the other person talk, the more he was finding him not worthy of trust. His words and tone, albeit cheery and light, offered faux promises and assurance. His person sighed, lax.

_ “Tell me, what gave you the idea that I would easily agree to this deal of yours?” _

_ “Because I know you wouldn’t be able to resist it.” _ The other’s voice turned low, sounding dangerous. Renjun felt a shiver run down his spine, from excitement or fear, he didn’t know. There was a distinct line that separated the two feelings inside him. Renjun just wasn’t sure which one was his.

_ “And this _ 'it' _ that you speak of, I’m assuming I would hear about it soon.” _

_ “Pain. Suffering. Strife. Death.” _ The person finally stepped out of the tree, leaning on his shoulder to the trunk so nonchalantly. Renjun could see his lips, but other than that, the upper half of his face was still enveloped in the shadow, purposelessly hidden like the moon within the clouds. _ “Isn’t that what you love the most?” _

Renjun felt his stomach drop. If he was in control of this body, he was certain that his heart would’ve hammered against his chest by now, thundering like an angry storm. But he wasn’t in control, in this moment, Renjun was no better than a bystander trapped in the body of this person who loved those horrible things.

At that moment, Renjun could feel his person’s lips quirk, a hint of a smile. He felt horrified, feeling the curiosity and interest blossom magnanimously in his mind.

_ “I could simply get them on my own.” _

_ “But you wouldn’t.” _ The other person basked in shadow checked his nails as he interjected, confident that Renjun’s person had no other choice but to accept his deal. _ “You’re curious. I could smell it from here. Along with excitement and hunger.” _

The other person was a wolf. Or at least, Renjun deduced from that statement.

He didn’t know anyone who could smell emotions like that other than wolves. This thought had sent a cold hand to catch his heart within its vines, feeling each finger’s grip on it tightened.

Renjun had only known one pack that resided in Wilhemville.

His person chuckled. _ “What made you think my curiosity would equate to compliance?” _

_ “Because I know that if you don't feed soon, you will only be sealed back to your cage. It’d be a shame for you to go back so soon, wouldn’t it?” _

_ “You’re just a beta wolf. You could do nothing to me.” _

_ “Yet.” _ The other person lifted a shoulder. _ “There's a powerful Alpha in town. You know what would happen next, right? With your state now, starving you and sealing you back, I wouldn’t even break a sweat.” _

At that, his person cackled, delightfully satisfied at the answer of the other in the shadows.

In contrast, fear engulfed Renjun’s mind. The words left the other’s lips in a lackadaisical manner, like it was normally said. It was utterly disrespectful and vicious. Renjun wasn’t part of any pack, but even he knew that those words weren’t something you would say about your Alpha. His pupils shrunk. It was truly mortifying to witness such behavior.

_ “Good, good good!” _ Renjun was struck with the familiarity of those words and tone. But he couldn’t quite recall where he had heard it, his mind was suffocating in the foreboding feeling of where the two’s conversation was going. _ “I like you. It seems that you have gotten yourself a deal.” _

The person cloaked in the shadow tilted his head to the side. _ “You don’t even know what you’re getting yourself into, yet?” _

His person stood up with a bounce on his feet, brushing the dirt off of his hands. _ “This matter does not concern me in the slightest. Once I regain my power back, I will be inevitable. But it seems to me that you wanted to speak. So, speak.” _

_ “I only want you to kill some people for me. After that, I’d willingly release you and I wouldn’t care what you do with your freedom.” _ The other person shrugged. _ “Let this serve as a way for you to learn how the world has changed, too. Adapt to your surroundings during this time.” _

_ “Who should I kill?” _

_ “A group of people.” _ The man grinned as he continued. _ “I want you to kill the people who have gravely done me wrong the most. I believe you already know them?” _

The creature smiled menacingly as if it knew of a secret the other didn't. _"Do you?"_

_"I don't. That's why you're here."_

_“Done.”_ His person crossed his arms on his chest. _ “Though it is a little curious how you knew of this information.” _

_ “Of course, I would know this. I know that you could grant one wish of the person who would give you your first sacrifice after your spirit repossessed a body. There's not much but I've done my research. After all,” _ The man finally took a step out of the shadows. _ “I’m asking you to kill the people behind my loved one’s deaths. Eliminate them all down to the very last bloodline. I want you to bring them devastation they had never seen before.” _

Clouds had moved away from the moon in that moment, the pale light shone on the clearing, basking it in muted luminescence. But all of that became a faded background when he finally saw the other man who was previously hidden in the shadows before him.

As pale as an ivory, it was the face of someone Renjun wouldn’t have imagined to have this kind of sinister side hidden within him. His hair was dark like the night sky, making his crescent shaped eyes evident as if they were two joyful moons. There was a smile on his lips, a smile that he had wanted to always see before. Now, it was filled with arrogance, a kind of harmful pride, and the warmth that it used to give comfort to Renjun was replaced with a dreary frost, devoid of the joy of life.

The person before him looked different, but at the same time, Renjun knew he was the same.

The man was Jeno.

Renjun could only stare in horror as Jeno continued to step forward.

Like fire burning an old parchment paper of a book chapter, the scene turned into ashes before him as if it hadn’t existed in the first place.

They started to leave him as soon as consciousness had started to flow back into his mind. 

That deep seethed and numbing feeling he hated and feared. The horrifying stagnant air that suffocated him down to his very bones, to his every atom. The sensation that something was clawing inside him with blunt nails, trying to get out, or dig deeper, he didn’t know.

But it was back. And it was so obviously there. It fucking hit him like water from dam all at once.

He held back on a gasp as soon as he woke up. Trying to calm his breathing and the beating of his racing heart, Renjun understood two things as he kept his eyes frozen shut. One, he was in a seated position. And two, he was _ tied up _ to the chair he was sitting at, arms back and legs tied to each wooden foot of the front.

Now, Renjun knew he was not opposed to being tied up, sexually. But that was with consent and proper discussion. This was a different situation, and, there was no way to put this in a respectful way considering where he was now, just downright fucking terrifying.

His dream… Jeno.

It couldn’t be real, could it? There was a reason why it was a _ dream. _

It had to be a dream otherwise-

_ “Ah, and the spark awakes.” _

A chill rolled under his skin like a thousand insects crawling as the voice spoke in front of him. It sounded so familiar, a woman’s voice. His _ mother’s _ voice. But at the same time it lacked the unconscious care and comfort and _ home _ it brought whenever he heard it, and instead, made him feel danger, edging from all directions.

He purposefully closed his eyes. Whatever was in front of him, or _ whoever, _ they did not like being ignored.

_ “I know you’re awake, Renjun. Or did you want to dream some more?” _

At the taunting words, Renjun’s eyes snapped open.

And saw his mother standing in front of him in a lackadaisical manner leaning on some big machine behind her. Her arms were crossed on her chest, head tilted to the side as her eyes watched him, a glint of sadistic amusement sparkling on her eyes. There was a sinister lilt at the corner of her lips, a look that Renjun would never associate his mother with.

Trying to be calm, he made a quick swoop of his surroundings to assess and weigh his chances of escape. They were in a factory. The old paper factory at the edge of Wilhemville. Renjun was familiar with it as it was one of the places that teens were not supposed to be hanging out in because the building was old and just a huge fire hazard.

He didn’t know how he got here. And it was only a glaring confirmation that his assumptions on his connection to the Big Bad that was haunting their little town was correct.

Renjun’s heart was threatening to break out of his chest, but he made himself think, thoughts racing a mile a minute.

“You’re not my mother.” He said, trying for calm. He was not going to satisfy this… whoever this was before him by showing that he was fucking scared.

It seemed futile. Because the moment he thought about it, he just _ knew _ that Fake Mom had sensed it, her smirk widening as Renjun’s fear spiked.

_ “What made you think so?” _ Fake Mom asked. But Renjun didn’t deem that worthy of any replies. His silence only received a roll of eyes. _ “Fine. I’m not your mother. But I could be whatever you want me to be if you let me.” _

“What did you do to my mother?” Renjun’s voice trembled at the end.

The more he thought about it-- what happened to his real mother, where she was, how was she-- the more the panic would settle in his gut. The sight of his mother’s face speaking those words-- speaking and acting in a manner that was clearly not _ her _ made him want to vomit his insides.

It was just-- wrong. Everything felt horrible in a way that Renjun’s skin was prickling at the suffocating atmosphere around him.

_ “Nothing yet. Don’t worry, her end would depend on your decision. I’m merely putting your relationship to my advantage.” _ Fake Mom shrugged nonchalantly. It felt like his heart stopped. Renjun wanted to scream, wanted to claw and hurt something, but he was stumped and tied in his seat, staring speechless in horror at the stranger in front of him. _ “She’s not dead if that was what you’re worried about.” _ The creature added, seeming to read his mind.

Renjun released a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. But as he did, rage seeped in.

“Where is she? Where’s my mom? What did you do to her? What do you want from me?!”

_ “One question at a time, Renjun. But she’s here. This,” _ Slowly, she gestured a hand to herself. _ “Your mother is here. Just not entirely _ just _ her. Being your mother, you’d thought that she’d have the same potential for magic like you. Turn’s out, she wasn’t. Disappointing, but it doesn’t matter. She’s just a pawn I’m using for the long game.” _

“What are you talking about?”

The creature continued to talk, oblivious to Renjun’s halted thoughts. _ “You’re a Spark, Renjun. Haven’t you sensed it? The thrumming powers all around you, making the very air vibrate with its breath; trees bend to its will. Your very existence attracts magic like a honey to a colony of ants. It is what kept this town flourishing. I was kept for so long in the Nemeton, and if it weren’t for you, I would’ve died with it when those stupid humans had cut it down. But your existence let the magic flow through enough to keep the Nemeton alive. Only the rarest of humans has it. I’ve only met two sparks in the thousand years I’ve lived. And you’re one of them.” _

Renjun’s lips parted. Because when it was finally pointed out to him, it was like all of his senses were hyper-aware of the current so thin yet so electrifying all around him. It was like he was suddenly submerged in something heavy yet light that it kept him afloat. A power so palpable that he could feel the very ground beneath him hum, and the stale air around him whisper hushedly. He could _ sense _ the magic that ran deep within everything like clockwork as it flowed seamlessly to create this world.

He realized that he had always felt it. But he had long normalized the sensation that he didn’t know how unusual it was to feel the world turn underneath your feet.

And that fact put fear in him. Because this creature who obviously had malintent towards humans was the one who made him realize that he was something special. That he was a spark.

The creature smirked, eyes all too knowing of Renjun’s inner turmoil. _ “But for now, tell me, what did you think about your broody little lycan prince now that you’ve seen what he was capable of?” _

Suddenly, the dream he had almost forgotten due to the shock of his awakening came back to the forefront. He remembered the dream. The one that was talking to… to Jeno. The one where he was someone who he wasn’t. He remembered something about not having enough power. About killing. About a deal.

Was it possible that Renjun’s dreams were reality? A memory?

Renjun was confused and scared, horrified and disturbed. Then, it came crashing to him. The answer. The monster that he met at the Preserve and this one possessing his mother, could they _ truly _be the same creature? With the razor sharp teeth and bandages all over its head and body?

“You-- You’re inside me. You kill, you evoke fear, chaos to-- to feed. And I was the vessel in the dream.” A gasp escaped Renjun’s trembling lips. “Who are you? What are you?”

_ “Oh, you know me, Renjun. You’re the only one who figured it out. Those sleepless nights of research weren't futile after all." _

Renjun released a stuttering breath as he remembered a word he came across while he was researching. A name he dismissed without a second thought because it was just fucking _ impossible. _ So much so that it hadn't graced the living world for hundreds of years.

A monster so powerful it couldn’t even be killed, only subdued and imprisoned.

No. It couldn’t be. There was no way a spirit like this could exist without someone releasing it. He wasn’t _ that _ unlucky.

But he was. And it was just Renjun’s luck that this spirit took an interest in him.

“You’re a-”

_ “Nogitsune.” _The Nogitsune reverently breathed its name with a cruel curl on his mother’s lips.

“A dark spirit born from the vengeful feelings of a Kitsune.”

_ “True.” _ The Nogitsune hummed. _ “And being a Spark that you are, you’re the perfect vessel for me, Renjun. You’ve been housing my spirit for some time. I know you could do it. With time and practice, we would be everlasting.” _

It was one thing to think about it. But it was another thing to confirm that Renjun had partook in the murders of a lot of people in the past few weeks.

Cold dread drenched him like water from a bucket, and he paled as flashes of blood and death and screams poured inside his mind, as if the gates that were holding them back had finally broken down. Suddenly, he started to remember each kill, his hands swift and merciless as they slash and tore on the fleshes of pleading humans. Their faces were vivid in his memory, scared, desolate, angry, desperate then bloodied and empty.

With each moment of a life passing before his eyes returning to him, a piece of something in Renjun was taken away.

This monster didn’t have to have a deeper and noble reason to kill. Because it was in its very nature to _ feed _ on strife and fear. It needed to feed, so it needed to kill. Simple as that.

There was someone breathing heavily, and he realized belatedly that the sound was coming from him. It was like everything that Renjun had known was a perfect illusion. He didn’t even know what to believe in anymore. Or who.

“Jeno-”

He didn’t know what he was going to say. Words had already left him, his sanity probably already had its one foot out the door too. But Renjun was in pain. Not physically, but a pain that was draining. A pain that wrenched one’s soul from the inside out. That numbing ache that gripped one’s heart until it thumped its last beat. The kind of pain that you feel as you watch the eyes of your loved one slowly become devoid of life.

That pain. A life draining descent.

_ “Young love. Dumb and blind.” _ The creature pushed itself off of where it was leaning on and walked towards Renjun with the air of a predator. _ “Soak it all up, Renjun. Your broody little lycan prince was the person behind your suffering. Haven’t you all figured out the facts yet? You’re a smart boy, I know you would figure it out. He couldn’t care less about others as long as he achieves his goal. Quite fond of him, really, he’s very determined.” _

“No, he- Jeno wouldn’t- That’s not real. It’s not real. You’re lying.”

But they both knew that Renjun was in denial. It made his lungs constrict, his throat closed up. Renjun felt cold all over, as if someone had pushed him in a freezing lakewater.

_ “You saw it with your own eyes, Renjun. You know what’s real and what’s not. But does it matter whether you think if it was real or not? What matters is that the facts are all laid out before you, and they’re piecing themselves together perfectly inside your mind.” _ The creature stopped directly right in front of Renjun, his mother’s face contorting into a vicious smile as she leaned down to level with his eyes. _ “Pointing to one little fact: Your lycan boyfriend is the the one who set me loose and let me go on a murder spree. With your body as my vessel.” _

And it was like Renjun couldn’t process anything anymore. He was petrified with reality in his seat. Something wet was running down his cheeks. His mind was a static of nothingness. A blank slate. A white canvass.

_ “There it is. Mind numbing desolation.” _ The monster said with fascination. It inhaled the air around Renjun, savoring the smell.

The creature laughed. The sound of it was empty. It’s eyes raked his expression and etched it to its mind like a medallion. It brought his mother’s hands to his face, Renjun wanted to move away from it, but he couldn’t even make himself flinch nor look away. He became nothing but an empty shell, devoid of hope and life.

The creature cupped his face so gently that it ached because it reminded him of how his mother would hold his face in those very same hands. But this wasn’t his mother. And Renjun felt disgusting for even comparing the two together.

_ “Isn’t that the most tragic love story of them all? If they hadn’t already killed themselves off, Romeo and Juliet would kill each other to top your story off. You guys make their story look like a saint with all the deaths and chaos involved.” _

He couldn’t think about Jeno or anyone else right now. He needed to save his mother first. She was all he had, Renjun would worry about the rest later. With that, Renjun’s resolve started to flare up, his eyes locking in with the creature’s.

“You won’t get away with this. I will find a way to kill you.”

The creature’s grip on his face impossibly tightened and Renjun was sure that his head was going to pop off any second, but he was let go as it stood straight, looking down on him with sharp eyes.

_ “Careful with your words, Renjun. I still have your mother’s life in my hand.” _ The creature sighed and stepped back. _ “But I’m feeling merciful tonight. So, let’s make this easy. Your life or your mother’s?” _

He knew it was going to come down to this the moment the creature confirmed that it was using his mother’s real body as its vessel. And he knew his answer before he even asked.

“What do you want me to do?”

_ “Just say yes to me, Renjun. Let me in. Let me take over your body completely. I’ve never had a vessel as compatible as yours. Your spark is powerful and could house my spirit for a few hundred years.” _

“If I say yes, you will let my mother go?”

_ “Of course, I always stay true to my word.” _ The creature inclined its head. _ “So, your answer?” _

“Yes.”

Renjun didn’t even have to think twice about it. He would always choose the safety of his mother above anything else.

*

He was floating inside the abyss of himself.

Everything was subdued. Drugged. Drunk. Sedated.

The sounds around him were muted. The sensation of living was numb. The flow of his thoughts slowed.

The lethargy of being in the backseat of your own body was like a velvet veil cloaking Renjun from taking the wheels back from the dark spirit that has taken control over him. 

He tried a languid struggle. To no avail, he was shut down instantly with a power so strong and vile Renjun wanted to vomit.

The Nogitsune moved with his body, coursing through the Preserve with a purpose, slinking in with the shadows, blending gracefully with the darkness of the night.

Renjun watched like it was a dream again, powerless. But this time, he knew that it was real. This time, he was aware of the haunting malice of the spirit inside his body. Aware of its bloodlust and need for chaos, for strife, for power with every move of his limbs.

The monster wearing his face stopped. His lips curled into a sneering smile. And Renjun belatedly realized with stilted horror that they were looking at the Lee house.

He heard a growl from the house. A warning. But the Nogitsune only stepped forward with an air of confidence and nonchalance that shouldn’t be there when faced with a whole pack of lycans.

Someone stepped out of the house in beta shift, sharp fangs and claws out and stance in defense, sensing full well what a threat this monster before them was. Renjun recognized it as one of Jeno’s uncles.

“Renjun?” Uncle Nicholas said through his sharp canines. He tilted his head to the side, sniffing the air. Then, he scowled. “No, you’re not him. You smelled like something else. Who are you?”

_ “You’re right. I’m not Renjun.” _ The Nogitsune smiled, cold and fake. _ “But this body is. So, if I were you, I wouldn’t point those claws to me so recklessly. We don’t want to harm an innocent child, do we? After all, he’s still here.” _

“What are you doing here?”

_ “Nothing to concern yourself with. You’re going to die before the sun rises, anyway.” _

A few snarls of retaliation sounded from the house. Soon, the lycans of the Lee pack appeared in their beta shifts, growls rumbling in preparation for a fight. Renjun saw golden eyes glinting in the night. But there were no blue and red.

Yeeun and Jeno. They weren’t back yet. Renjun couldn’t see Donghyuck and Jisung either. Before him-- _ them _\-- he could only see the older Lee’s and a few of the human pack members. There were eight of them. And three of them were children, hiding at the far back.

Jesus Christ. Renjun realized. The people that Jeno was talking about in the dream. The people that he wanted dead. It couldn’t be _ his _ pack, right? If Renjun had control over his body, he would’ve already fallen to his knees at the horrifying thought of Jeno wanting to _ kill _ his own pack.

From what he knew, the feeling of a dying pack felt like losing a part of yourself, because being in a pack was sharing a piece of you to a group of people.

Renjun remembered Jeno’s bright smile. The gentleness in his touches. The home he brought through his comforting words. He thought he knew Jeno. But it turns out that he didn’t know the man who laid in his bed after all.

Renjun felt an oncoming cry teetering at the edges of his mind.

But he knew he couldn’t cry.

Because the Nogitsune had his body, and there was no one who could save them all at the moment. He was falling even more to the pit of hopelessness with every second that passed.

None of these people even knew what they were up against with. They were all going to die tonight in Renjun’s hands.

_ Please, no. _ He thought.

_ They’re going to die one way or another, Renjun. But this? This is a gift for your broody little Lycan. _

_ You’re wrong. They couldn’t have asked for death. No one in their right mind would. _

The Nogitsune fell silent, stagnant and palpable. _You’re too naive. People are horrible, Renjun,_ it replied. But Renjun couldn’t have better prepared himself for the next words that he would hear._ Your little lycan prince freed me for revenge. But the little lycan prince didn’t know that the people who killed his parents were the same people who raised them after their deaths. He had a hunch that it was a pack, what he didn’t know was that it was _**_his_**_ pack. But don't worry, he'll know soon._ _You thought you already knew them. You see, I’m not the only one who’s evil here. At least, I do it because it’s my nature. It’s what I was born for. What about them?_

Renjun’s heart stuttered, mind blanking.

“Leave before you regret ever coming here.” Aunt Petra snarled. The Nogitsune only stepped forward, uncaring for how rattled Renjun was. The lycans crouched, poised for a fight. Aunt Petra growled lowly. “I asked politely. But it seemed like you wanted to do this the hard way.”

The lycans dashed towards the Nogitsune at the same time, claws out and fast. The Nogitsune laughed maniacally. Renjun tensed inside.

_ “Like how you all killed your late Alpha and her mate? You want to kill me?” _

All of the adult pack members visibly flinched. Whether it was because of what the Nogitsune said or at the bellow it let out, no one would know.

The shadows from the trees moved, birthing figures with thin swords from the deep dark. The night ominously hummed with the force of the Nogitsune’s voice.

Renjun felt the power in the air, vile and dark. Like a quicksand. It was suffocating, brimming with malintent and evil the more you notice it. The masked shadow figures that the Nogitsune summoned wielded their katanas to fend off the lycans, circling around the Nogitsune and his' shared body like king’s guards.

He couldn’t smell fear like the lycans. But he knew, even if it felt like he was watching everything in a haze, that the moment the shadow figures slashed the attacking lycans and they didn’t heal as fast as usual, that the pack felt a collective sense of terror they’ve never felt before.

A creature that could cause them harm grave enough to stall their regeneration would have to be as powerful as an alpha.

Despite that realization, the lycans continued to fight, injured as they were. But it was a futile attempt. They couldn’t even hurt the shadow figures, their claws would pierce the air every time they try to land a hit. The shadow figures were too fast and skilled in deflecting their attacks, they were untouchable. They were the experienced spirit warriors of the blade.

Growls and howls of pain echoed through the night as the first lycan went down eviscerated off of its arm. Blood spilled. Emotions surged.

Renjun couldn’t watch this, but he was forced to experience it, eyes wide open as the Nogitsune fed off of the pain and fear in the air, becoming powerful with each slash that caused chaos. It stood there, watching the slaughter unfold, something akin to satiation rolling under his skin in waves that made Renjun want to claw it out of him.

He could _ feel _ what the Nogitsune was feeling because there was nothing shielding him from it. Renjun couldn’t possibly run from his own body. So he retreated from the forefront and into the back of his mind, wishing that he could just shut the screams of agony, the pleads of _ spare the children _ or the hysterical _ run! RUN! _

The three children ran away into the thick forest Preserve, crying, traumatized. But the Nogitsune paid them no mind. Or chose to ignore them. Renjun didn't know.

All too soon, the noises quitted down. The shadow figures retreated to the dark as silent and stoic as they arrived. The peace and calm of the night moving on without a hitch was a blasphemy to the massacre that just transpired.

Renjun’s mind broke as he took in the severed bodies on the ground. It was a slaughter. There was no way they could fight the Nogitsune without the help of a magic user and their Alpha. There was a ringing in his ear, the smell of blood pungent in the air.

This was once a pack, a family. Now, they were reduced to a crimson pile as a result of an unending cycle of vengeful ideology.

It made him numb.

_ “Perhaps, are you aware that there are different types of kitsunes?” _ The Nogitsune asked in an all too conversational tone. Renjun didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer. But it seemed that the monster within his body wasn’t really expecting one from him as it continued its words, regardless of Renjun’s lack of response. _ “The fox spirits are guardian spirits that were passed down to the next blood kin of chosen human lineages. These families house each fox spirit, sworn to serve and give them vessels when the spirit needed it. In return, the kitsunes would give their loyalty, protection and blessing to the family.” _

The Nogitsune tutted with indifference as it surveyed the wreckage it caused. Renjun was keeping quiet. He was still shell-shocked but he knew he should pay attention to the words he was hearing. A small part of him was telling him that this was something important.

_ “It’s a beneficial deal for the human vessels, truly. They would age much slower and heal faster than any ordinary human being. They would have an invaluable mastery and knowledge of their kitsunes chosen weapon and art of fight. Unfortunately, they’re still humans, and they die. Obviously, the fox spirits can’t die because they’re ancient spirits born to protect the balance of nature since the dawn of time. They would just move on to the next blood kin. Kitsunes also have power over the elemental nature they were born from. And because of that, a single, experienced kitsune is far more powerful than all these lycans.” _ The monster moved forward, then it hummed in thought. _ “Such a shame the young alpha was not here. She would’ve put up a good fight, though.” _

Renjun sensed a foreboding feeling in the way he felt the surge of detached gleeful malice spiked within him. From the Nogitsune. It made him shudder when they stopped in the middle of the dead bodies. The monster made a curious noise that shouldn’t have sounded as normal as it did given the situation they were in.

_ “I didn’t want to kill, you know. But I was made like this. I have to. I won’t die, but there was the hunger that I have to satiate. The taste that came with the loss of life. The fear. The anger. The sadness. The grief. All of these feelings that were invoked by a simple thing as death. It was the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.” _

_ Lies. _ Renjun interjected, though weak and feeble. _ Killing was a hobby to you. You enjoy every second of it. And for that, I am revulsed. _

The Nogitsune was surprised into silence, it wasn’t expecting Renjun to refute. Then, it laughed.

_ “True.” _ Renjun heard the monster agree, a beat after it stopped laughing. _ “What can I say? Would you not savor the taste of your favorite food? And here I was, hoping I’d woo you with my tragic backstory. Nevertheless, it was true. As you know, I was born out of a vengeful fox spirit who lost the love of its life. Cliche, but well, that’s where the best stories come from as history had proven it. Death and love were the reasons for a lot of irreversible decisions.” _

Narrowing his eyes, Renjun scoffed. _ You don’t say. _

Ignoring him, the Nogitsune tilted its chin to stare at the moon as it inhaled the cold breeze that wafted, wistful. It snorted at a memory.

_ "An immortal falling inlove with a mere human. Then, a wrongful death. Can you believe it? The fox spirit was so angered by something so natural as death, driven to madness with rage and agony. It’s soul had split into two, because the fox spirit was so torn apart, so broken with the loss of its loved one that its own magic had to intervene and separate itself to retain a state of equilibrium.” _

Renjun didn’t know why the creature was telling him this. Maybe because it enjoyed annoying Renjun. Maybe because it had been imprisoned for so long that it wanted a connection to someone other than itself. Maybe because the monster needed someone to just _ know. _ Because, somehow, Renjun could feel the truthfulness in its words.

_ “If magic hadn’t intervened, the fox spirit would have ceased to exist. The magic purged the void of darkness that made a place in its heart when its loved one died. And that void became its own entity. But,” _ Its voice was laced with mischief again. _ “Never mind that. Can you guess what type of kitsune I was born from?” _ As the Nogitsune said the words, Renjun felt a low hum of magic thrum at the tips of his finger tips, like a current of electricity in a live wire. He didn’t have to answer. Because the Nogitsune answered its own question. _ “A fire kitsune.” _

The moment the words were spoken into the air, sparks of ember aflamed the dry leaves around them. It roared into life and swallowed its way to the bodies, as if eviscerating them wasn’t enough, the Nogitsune wanted it burned.

There was magic in the breathing fire. Renjun could feel it as the flames danced to the Nogitsune’s will. The smell of burning flesh mixed with the damp forest air, smoke billowing through to the night sky. He was untouched, the fire seemingly avoiding his body purposefully and went its way to set the huge house in flames.

Crackles of fire sounded as the Nogitsune only watched, face pale even though it was lit by the orange illumination. Its expression was devoid of emotion, closed off. There was a wall between their minds, separated thickly, not allowing him a peek of the Nogitsune’s thoughts.

_ “Finally.” _

Before Renjun could wonder what the monster meant, there was a piercing roar behind him. It was still far, but he could feel its power with the way the trees trembled and the air shifted. The roar sounded far angrier, more rageful than the one he heard before when he was attacked by the feral werewolf. That seemed such a long time ago, he mused.

The Alpha’s roar was followed by a few howls. Nearer. Dashing stomps on leaf-covered ground sounded. Closer. 

Renjun wanted to tell them to _ go back _ and _ run or you’ll follow the same fate as the rest of your pack. _ But he couldn’t speak in his state. He could only dread what he knew was in store for their immediate future.

Far too soon for Renjun’s liking, the remaining lycans of the Lee pack crashed on the clearing of their burning compound. Yeeun and Jeno. If he could sigh in relief, he would've when he realized that Donghyuck and Jisung were nowhere to be found. They probably came across with the three children on their way home. Renjun hoped they had run far away from here. Or had called for more help.

The siblings abruptly stopped, fire dancing tauntingly, haunting in the irises of their eyes. The both of them had their claws and fangs out, but they retracted them as soon as they reached the clearing where their burning house and family was located.

Pure anguish contorted Yeeun’s beautiful face as she watched her pack-- her family’s remains aflame. Gripping terror and blinding fury were soon plastered on her face. Renjun felt his heart lurched in sympathy. He couldn’t even think about the possibility of going home only to be welcomed with death and destruction without his stomach twisting.

Yeeun fell down to her knees, the most affected at the loss of the pack as she was the Alpha. She was crying as she tried to crawl her way to the nearest body-- their Aunt Petra. Her eyes were wide open but lifeless.

Jeno held onto his Alpha, he didn’t want her to burn. She would heal, but the fire would still hurt her. It helped that they probably could smell the magic woven in the flames.

When he looked at Jeno, Renjun’s heart plummeted down to his stomach with a deafening release of breath. Because he knew, then, that what he was seeing on the other’s face was a confirmation to his dream and earlier doubts.

But he also knew that Jeno didn’t know what the Nogitsune knew. He didn’t know that the people behind the orchestrated murders of their parents were their pack. Their own family.

Jeno’s face had shown surprise at first. Then, all too soon, he looked livid but stone cold, and the expression reminded Renjun of the person hiding behind the trees in his dream. He looked conflicted.

Yeeun couldn’t see it as she was all too overwhelmingly occupied with what’s in front of them that she didn’t worry about what was lurking behind her. However, Renjun could clearly see Jeno from where he was, the Nogitsune savoring the reactions from the Lee siblings.

Jeno's eyes, they became empty glasses as he surveyed their once beautiful lawn that was now adorned with bloodshed and fire.

When Jeno met the Nogitsune’s eyes-- and in turn, also meeting Renjun’s-- Renjun internally flinched. For a moment he thought he saw the stoicness in the lycan’s face crumble to show a bit of surprise and confusion, the Jeno he knew peeking at the surface helplessly. But it was gone all too soon.

“Why?!” Yeeun yelled, her eyes were bleeding red and her claws were out. The Nogitsune smirked, moving its head like a snake as it directed its taunting gaze towards Jeno.

_ “Maybe you should ask your brother. After all, he's the reason why I'm here.” _

Yeeun and Jeno visibly reacted at that. Yeeun frowned as Jeno stiffened in his place.

“Jeno, what is _ that thing _ saying?”

“If it's here, then that means that they’re the ones who killed mom and dad, Yeeun.” Jeno blurted.

"Who?"

"Our family."

Yeeun shook her head. A lifeless chuckle escaping her lips amidst the situation. But Jeno remained unmoving with his eyes on the ground, quiet. Yeeun dreaded the moment realization hit her as if they were claws sinking deep on her skin.

"What have you done?" Standing up, she turned to him with stilted disbelief and horror. Jeno let her go and she took a few steps back to widen the distance between them.

A glimpse of emotion slipped out of Jeno’s calm facade-- desperation. It bleakly seeped away from his expression as Yeeun tried to hold his stare. Her eyes bled rosefire and mortification at the damning realization that her little brother, her beta, her second, was responsible for the deaths of their pack.

"Our parent's deaths weren't done by a cult, Yeeun. I've investigated it myself as it was too suspicious that the case was dismissed and closed too soon. Things weren't adding up."

"People are already in jail for it, Jeno. They're the ones who killed our parents!"

Jeno shook his head. He continued, “Those people are criminals, indeed. But they weren't the ones who are responsible for the murders of our parents. They were pawns in this game just like us. Someone orchestrated the whole thing. And through blood magic, we're here because they murdered their own Alpha and her mate. Their own pack. Our parents, Yeeun.”

"Jeno… it can't be." Yeeun's voice shook. Her pretty face was marred with upset, but she made her claws retract. "You could be wrong. They-- they're pack, Jeno. What I felt just a while ago. What we all felt. It was like tearing limbs away from our bodies. And we all knew something was wrong-"

"They're not my pack. They're _ your _ pack." Jeno's jaw flexed as he steeled his eyes once again. Yeeun heard the steady beat of his heart. Jeno was telling the truth and hurt flashed on their eyes. "I didn't feel anything a while ago. But I felt _ your _ pain, Yeeun. Because you're my only pack. You are my alpha. You're the only one I have ever considered pack after mom and dad died."

"And I implore you to believe me, Yeeun. Because I know I'm right about this." He continued when Yeeun stayed silent. Jeno inclined his head to where Renjun's body was standing in the middle of the fire. "That thing inside Renjun is a Nogitsune. It was the spirit that was inside the Nemeton. It was the witness of our parent's murders. I knew of a binding spell-"

"You knew? Was it your witch ex-girlfriend who told you?"

Jeno froze but he recovered quickly, schooling his features expertly. "It doesn't matter who told me about it. What matters is that the spell would tie the spirit to me until it did my bidding. I asked for justice that was never given to our family."

"You knew that that witch was only after the magic within our family but yet you… You still did this." Yeun raised her voice, hysterical. Her eyes crimson as he glared at Jeno. "She manipulated you!"

"She did not!" Jeno's eyes narrowed. "She's a fool who thought she was manipulating me. But I was only using her for the spell."

Yeeun growled. But after a second, she spoke evenly, even though her trembling hands betrayed the calmness in her voice. She probably hadn't noticed it.

"Jeno, you didn't ask for justice, you asked for revenge. And in turn-" Yeeun choked in her own words, eyes blazing with a fervent loss of trust. "It killed our family."

"Don't you think they deserve it after what they did? For lying to our faces? For killing their own?"

But Jeno was firm with his aim. Determined. Strong-willed and stubborn in his personal pursuit of someone to understand him and take his side. Someone to truly put his shoes on and know where he was coming from. His face was ashen despite the fierce ablaze of the fires. At that moment, Jeno looked smidgen.

Yeeun cursed, eyes flashing red again. "Fuck, Jeno! The spirit you let lose killed innocent people! Your hatred has blinded you from thinking clearly."

"They were going to plan on killing me and you, Yeeun!"

Yeeun was struck with the words, her pupils shrunk. "What…"

"They sacrificed mom and dad to empower the Nemeton because it's being drained from all of its powers by the evil spirit imprisoned within it. The bond between an Alpha and its mate is powerful magic, and they thought that it would appease the Nemeton. And for a while it worked. But they didn't account for the humans to meddle and disturb the tree, thus, destabilizing the magic once again." Jeno took a step closer, but Yeeun took a step back.

"I don't understand. What are you saying?"

"I heard them talking about it, Yeeun. Aunt Petra and Uncle Nicholas. I wasn't sure then that it was about me and you. I wasn't sure because I was so young and naive. But they were discussing about doing it again. But now that I know they were the ones who plotted on the demise of our parents, I know now that they were going to do it again to you. And because you don't have a mate yet, they were going to settle for your second. And that's me. They were going to kill us to restore the magic balance within the Nemeton." The crackle of fire simmered in the dead of the night as the silence fell. "I couldn't let them do that. I couldn't let the only family I have left be taken away from me again."

"You just did, Jeno." Yeeun whispered, her voice breaking at the name.

The words petrified Jeno in his place. Staked him like a sinner, shattered him like glass.

He couldn't admit that he was wrong because for all that had happened, he was doing it for the right reasons. But his sister thought otherwise.

Stumped, Jeno was, once again, lost. Just like he was when his parents died and he saw their bodies hanged on a treen, their heads on the ground near their feet. He didn't understand why they wouldn't come to him even when he screamed his throat raw and cried his eyes out.

_ "Now, all of this was entertaining and such." _ The two startled when the Nogitsune spoke, having forgotten that there was a monster with them. _ "But it's gotten too sappy for my taste buds. Shall we get on to the killing her part? I'd love to gift you the powers of an Alpha after all the hospitality you've bestowed upon me." _

Yeeun snarled, her claws and fangs sharp in sight, her eyes glimmering red as she crouched in defense.

"I can take you on both at the same time."

"Yeeun, no." Jeno gasped. "I don't want to be an Alpha. It was never my intention-"

_ "I believe you wanted me to kill them to the very last of their bloodline. I supposed we're making exceptions now?" _

"I didn't know it was really the family, Yeeun. I was hoping it wasn't them. I swear."

"I don't want to trust you anymore, Jeno!" She cut Jeno's words off. "What about Renjun? What did he even do to you?"

"I didn't know!"

Jeno opened his mouth then closed it, glancing at where Renjun's body was possessed by the Nogitsune. His expression was pure agony for a second. Then, he snatched his gaze away, like he was ashamed.

"I didn't know it was in him until now. I should've. But I didn't. The witch that I hired to perform the blood magic wanted to have the Nogitsune for herself after finding out what it could do. We fought and she ended up dying. I wasn't sure that she completed the spell until I met with the Nogitsune in my dreams. But even then, it was covered in bandages. I didn't see- I swear, I didn't know."

"He was in the wrong place, at the wrong time." Yeeun surmised, disbelief plastered on her face.

Solemn, Jeno nodded. 

Renjun remembered the only time he met a witch. The night where it all started. The night he almost died. He supposed that because of the summoning magic, it should've been his blood, his life sacrificed to open the cage of the Nogitsune. But because the witch died unceremoniously, and he was on the brink of death then, with no nearby living body to possess, the spirit was left with no choice but to go to him.

It was truly Renjun's unfortunate fate that brought him upon this situation.

"That's another person's blood in your hands, Jeno. You understand that, right?" Jeno replied with guilty silence. But the alpha didn't bother with an answer. Instead, she faced the Nogitsune. "Let's settle this."

The Nogitsune smiled frostily. _ "I'm honored to." _

"Yeeun, I-" Jeno halted Yeeun with a hand to her arm. She flinched, but didn't pull away. It hurt Jeno more than anything. But he needed to do one last thing. Wanted to. "I want to save him. I-I know how to save Renjun. And how to stop this. Please, hear me out."

_ "Too late, cubs." _

The sword wielding shadow figures slowly re-emerged from the darkness of the night in quick successions, simultaneously surging forward to attack the two siblings.

But both of them had quick reflexes, leagues far better than the older lycans in their family. They separated with a blink to dodge the slashes, moving through the darkness like gusts of winds.

Growls and rustles sounded through the night, metal clanking on ivory sharp claws. The lycans stood their grounds even though their slashes were futile as the shadows seemed unaffected by their counterattacks.

"Yeeun!" Jeno yelled. The Nogitsune's brow twitched when the younger lycan whipped something out of his jacket. "The shadow creatures are the monster's tails and they could be killed by silver, Yeeun! Trust me on this! Please!"

Yeeun must have heard something in Jeno’s voice, the desperation or the sincerity, Renjun couldn’t figure out, but the young Alpha dodged another slash from a shadow figure before leaping to her brother’s side. The two exchanged looks, gazes conversing like the old time’s before Jeno gave Yeeun a silver knuckle that matches the one that was already on his hand.

The younger of the two’s words were proven true when a shadow figure attacked them and Jeno turned to quickly give it a piercing punch on its abdomen. The shadow warrior dissipated in the air like smoke.

The Nogitsune was a dark fox spirit. _ A dark kitsune. _ And if Renjun’s memory was right, kitsunes could be hurt by _ silver. _

Hope blossomed in Renjun’s heart at the same time he felt the Nogitsune’s trepidation creeping in.

The fight continued, and with the newly acquired upper-hand sooner than later, defeating the shadow figures that just killed most of the Lee pack had become an easy task.

As Yeeun fought with passion, Jeno killed with cold-hearted precision. Two sides of a coin. Starkly different that made up a whole. They were beautiful under the pale moonlight and yellows of the fire.

Renjun felt his heart ache at the fierce sight before him. They were still so young, but their experienced movements in battle spoke volumes of the tragedy that fell upon them and forced them both to grow up, to make decisions with consequences far bigger than them.

When the last shadow was felled by Yeeun, all three of them stood before the dying flames of the wreckage, assessing one another.

_ “Fools.” _ Renjun felt his mouth move to voice out the Nogitsune’s word after the last shadow figure fell to the wind. Something dark clawed itself inside Renjun’s mind, giving him chills. The monster in him was bothered. _ “You think you can kill me? Me? I’m a thousand years old, you can’t kill me!” _

With the Nogitsune's shout, a wave of force pushed the two back, so powerful that Jeno and Yeeun flew a few meters away. Yeeun landed on her back on the flat ground but Jeno unfortunately hit a tree. A resounding crack of bones filled the air, accompanied by Jeno's agonizing scream.

"Jeno!" Yeeun exclaimed, worried.

Wincing and calming his breathing, Jeno looked down on himself to check the damage. His leg was broken. But he would heal. It would take a bit of time, a few minutes tops, but he would heal.

The Nogitsune cackled and started to make its way towards them. 

“We can't kill you. But we can change you.”

The Nogitsune halted on its tracks, seemingly at a loss about what Jeno said. But then, Renjun felt something akin to fear grip inside him.

And he realized that it wasn’t his, no. The festering fear was no one else's but the monster’s.

Before the monster could recover from its shock, there was a sharp sting on his arm that rapidly spread all over him. He looked down and saw a needle pricking his hand. He felt his body being petrified, his muscles freezing until he couldn’t move an inch. It wasn’t like he was iced, no, this was different. Poison induced paralysis. While his body was frozen, Renjun still had his consciousness, and he figured that the Nogitsune had it too.

"What did you do, Jeno?"

"Struck him with a needle doused in Kanima venom."

Yeeun startled in surprise when she saw Jeno looking intently at her. “Jeno, you don’t mean--”

“Yeeun, there’s only one way to get rid of it.” Jeno clenched his jaw, as if it was hard for him to say the next words, but he pushed through. “To make the host uninhabitable.”

“No.” The Alpha flashed her red eyes at Jeno, as if what he suggested was repelling to her.

“Yeeun! I don’t know how long the Kanima’s venom is going to hold it down. You have to do it.”

“I won’t do it. We’re talking about Renjun’s future here.”

“We have no choice. Renjun’s body is already dying because of the dark spirit that’s consuming him.” Jeno took a step forward to Yeeun who pointedly looked away from him. Jeno stopped, looking dejected. “He won’t have any future if we don’t give him a chance, now.”

“I don’t trust you, Jeno!” Yeeun growled, expression conflicted.

“Yeeun, I know you can smell it too. He is dying and you can save him if you give him the bite. I would never purposely harm you or him, you know that I’m saying the truth. It’s the only way to get rid of the Nogitsune and save Renjun at the same time.” Jeno looked down then sighed. When he looked back up, his face looked aged, as if he had already accepted his loss, but he was willing to try and try again for others.

“You don’t have to trust me, you just have to save him, please.”

There was desperation and urgency in Jeno’s voice, as he turned his gaze to his sister and back at where Renjun’s body was halted. For a moment, he let his feelings slip past his stone cold facade, as if he wasn’t sure what he was doing anymore. But years of experience had taught him never to wear your heart on your sleeve lest someone would take advantage of you. So, Jeno did what he was best at and reigned in his expression.

The Jeno that Renjun used to know was gone again.

“What if the bite doesn’t take? What if he doesn’t turn, Jeno?” Yeeun asked, wavering. Jeno’s pleads seemed to break through something in his sister as she turned to face him with a critical look. “That’s another life your actions have caused.”

“It would work.”

“How can you be sure?”

“It has to.” Jeno had a stubborn look on his face. But something in his eyes was telling that he wasn’t as hopeful as he should be in what they were about to do, that he was just as unsure as Yeeun was, as scared as anyone would be in this situation. “It has to work.” _Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I lost him too,_ the grim look in his eyes implied.

As Yeeun raked her eyes over her little brother’s expression, she saw it, and her heart broke. Jeno was wearing the very same expression he had in their parents’ funeral. He looked lost and terrified, but he was trying his best not to show it.

But his irresponsible actions had caused a lot of deaths and hurt to others. Yeeun felt as though a part of it was her fault for not trying harder to reach out to him when her brother had started to drift away from her. When it happened, Yeeun couldn’t exactly pinpoint the time, because it felt as if everything just piled up until she couldn’t help looking away anymore.

She stepped up and became a good alpha but while being so, it forced her to step back from being a sister that her little brother needed. And it broke her to realize that this wasn’t a realization she just had at this moment, but an idea that has been around for a long time. She just kept pushing it to the back of her mind hoping that the time to address it would never come.

Yeeun shook her head and took a step forward Renjun’s body. There would be a time to deal with this but for now, she had to at least try and save Renjun.

The action made Renjun’s heart race in its cage, as if the Nogitsune also knew something terrible was about to unfold. But as Yeeun stepped cautiously closer, Renjun felt a finger twitched. Not a big movement, but he felt as it regained the littlest amount of motor skill. The monster inside him felt a little sadistically satisfied. Renjun’s stomach churned in grim with every second that ticked by.

He wanted to warn Yeeun about the awaiting monster in him. And something must’ve spiked in Renjun’s body’s scent that caused the Alpha’s gaze to sharpen. Yeeun threw caution to the wind and launched herself at the enemy.

The next thing happened in a flash, though he swore that he could see it happen as if it was put in slow motion.

In the dark of the night, Yeeun’s crimson eyes flashed as her sharp teeth broke into the tender skin of Renjun’s shoulder. At first Renjun didn’t feel anything, but when Yeeun started to push the magic within her to his bloodstream for the bite to take, his blood seemed like it was liquid fire spreading rapidly from the wound to his entire body.

It hurt. It burned. It felt like a thousand needles pricking him from all points of direction.

The monster inside him wailed in agony and shrieked in desperation.

Something inside Renjun was being forcefully expunged. A piece of him being ripped to shreds before being ripped from him.

It hurt! 

Yeeun finally let go. When Renjun saw her, her mouth was smudged with blood. His blood. But his mind was muddy, his vision was slightly blurry, his body was in so much pain he hoped for death to come and take the pain away.

Then his mouth moved without his will. Weak. Like it was in the last recesses of its life. But there was a cruel smile on his lips. As if the monster still had something over all of them. A trump card.

_ “You forgot the last tail.” _

The paralyzing poison of the Kanima had worn off. A squelching noise resounded from the chilling residence of the Lee’s. Yeeun coughed and blood came out of her lips. She looked down, confused. Blinking slowly, she didn’t understand for a moment. But when she saw her torso, realization dawned on her paling face as she watched the black shadow of a tail pierced through her.

_ “Was it worth it?” _ The monster croaked a sardonic laugh before the tail dispersed into nothing. Then, Renjun collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Yeeun fell to her knees beside the boy, gasping as she lifted her shaking hands to try to prevent the blood from seeping out of her. She may have been an Alpha, but a gaping wound this big would still be fatal and beyond her fast regenerative ability.

It was futile, she realized. Yeeun whimpered.

“Yeeun!” Jeno shrieked in horror as he struggled to get up from his position, crawling in the ground and dragging his mending broken leg by sheer will power. His eyes were wild and his breaths were shallow as he stopped beside his sister and tried to sit, ignoring his pain. His hands immediately went to Yeeun's arm to suck away the pain. Yeeun slumped in Jeno’s arms. “Please. Please. Please…” Jeno chanted as if his incoherent pleading would come across some god and fulfill his wish. He collected his sister’s body closer to himself and felt panicked as the temperature in her body dropped. “I’m sorry, please. Don’t leave me. Please, not you- Yeeun, please I can’t do this-”

Jeno couldn’t see clearly through the tears, so he buried his face on his sister’s shoulder and inhaled the comfort of her familiar scent. The stench of blood and death filled his nose, but underneath it all was the telltale fresh citrus-y scent of the only family Jeno had known all these years.

“I don’t want to die, Jeno.” Yeeun whispered, staring emptily into the wreckage that became of their home. She felt forlorn. For the loss. For the deaths. For the choices they made that led them to this.

Both of them knew what was about to happen. And neither of the siblings wanted to accept it. But the crimson glint in Yeeun’s eyes had started to slowly dim into gold as the color of ruby seeped in and took over the sapphire blues of Jeno’s eyes behind his tears.

“No.. no! I don’t want this!” Feeling as the power of his dying Alpha flowed into him, Jeno shut his eyes in hopes that the inevitable wouldn’t happen. His voice broke as he sobbed like a child in Yeeun’s shoulder. “I don’t want this, please. I just want my sister...”

“Jeno… I’m sorry.” She said quietly, her breathing slow. “I couldn’t help you when you needed me the most. I thought… I thought since I was being a good Alpha, that I was being a good sister. But they’re different… I should’ve been your sister first.” Tears spilled from her eyes as her body numbed. It was difficult for her to speak, but she pushed through the last words. “It’s not your fault, Jeno. You were so y-young… I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

Jeno was vehemently shaking his head, stubborn to let his head move away from where it was buried on his sister’s shoulder, afraid that if he did, he would see as life slowly fade from her eyes. He could feel his wounds heal faster than ever before, his newly acquired Alpha status working to fix his body in unmerciful relent, uncaring for the inner recoil in his mind as his sister’s breaths slowly dwindled in his arms at the same time.

An idea suddenly struck him. A faint memory from the past. Something only Alphas could do. Something Jeno didn’t pay enough attention when their mother was telling them because he knew he wasn’t going to be an Alpha then. That was what his sister was meant to be, it wasn’t for him.

But now, maybe he could do it.

“I could save you, Yeeun. I could--”

“It’s too late for me, Jeno.”

“You don’t know that!”

Yeeun smiled faintly as she gently pressed her cheek on the side of Jeno’s head. A comfort. A gratitude. A goodbye.

“It’s not too late for him.”

*

The world was moving.

No, that was silly. Of course, the world was moving.

It was just that Renjun felt like the world was moving at such a fast rate that he was about to come off of his axis and tumble on continuously forever. He was in a lot of pain. As if the very veins of his body were bleeding liquid fire. But that wasn’t the worst part of it.

He was on his last breaths. That, he was certain of. The weakness that took over him was different. He had never felt like it before. Maybe the bite didn’t take because such was a life for Renjun. Maybe Yeeun intended to kill him. Maybe the Nogitsune got to him first. He didn’t know. All he knew was that he was hurting everywhere. He wanted to laugh, but it was no matter of the sort and he had no energy left to do so.

There was a palpable sense that he was left with a gaping hole inside of him. A missing part. A limb that was wrenched away. A void that could be filled with nothing. Renjun felt raw and bare. Weak.

He could hear ragged breaths. But he wasn’t sure if it was coming from him or from another person. At one point, he was certain that he felt someone gripped his hand and a familiar voice whispered words of a broken apology. 

“I’m sorry for everything.”

Then, all of a sudden, a surge of warmth flowed through him. But it didn’t give him pain. No, this was different. It gave him the opposite. It gave him comfort. Safety. Power. Life. 

But all of these kept fading as Renjun went in and out of his consciousness, vision blurred and mind befuddled with numbing hurt and emptiness and great relief.

Lastly, before he let Good Ol’ Slumber take him when it reached its hand out, he caught a glimpse of two crimson glares that were boring into his eyes turned into a pair of familiar sapphire frosts.

Then, everything went dark.

*

“This is me. Thanks, Mom.” Renjun glanced unbuckled his seatbelt but before he got out of his Mom’s patrol car, a hand stopped him. He glanced back and saw his Mom with his phone which must’ve slipped out of his jeans pocket.

“Your phone, son.” She said with a sigh. Renjun received it with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry.”

“Make sure to call me if you need me, alright?”

Renjun rolled his eyes. “Yes, Mom.”

“I’m serious, Renjun.” 

The tone that his mother’s voice took said that she was indeed being serious. And very worried. Renjun could only nod. He didn’t have any words for that. After all that’s happened in the past months, no mother could ever be calm about their children going out without supervision.

“I know, Mom.” He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek before giving her a reassuring smile. “I’ll keep myself safe. I promise.”

Heran nodded and sent him out with a flick of her wrist. “Go now before Jaemin comes out of that door and fetches you. Kid’s been looking out of the window since we stopped in front of their house. Now, you be good, okay? Say hello to Jaemin and his parents for me.”

“Okay. Bye.”

He walked to the front door with light steps after waving goodbye to his Mom who was on her way to work the mid shift at the station. Before he could knock, the door immediately opened and he was pulled inside, almost tripping on his own feet.

“Jaemin, what the fuck--”

His best friend just shushed him with a dismissive hand and continued to lead them to his room. “Don’t act like if you crack your skull open, you won’t heal. You’re a werewolf now, you should act like one.”

The wolf inside him bristled in pride at the recognition that he was a superior specie. Renjun could feel it.

It was weird at first. Knowing that he had turned into a werewolf and that it was the only factor that saved his body from being a decaying vessel of the dark spirit. Waking up in Johnny’s clinic after that night, he thought the apocalypse was upon them. There was just too much noise. Everything was too vivid. And he couldn’t retract his fangs and claws as he wished. 

Fortunately, Donghyuck was there. After all, he was a turned wolf too, and so he was a great help to Renjun in the first few weeks of this crucial transition.

They didn’t talk about how Renjun was turned into a wolf. Or how he got into Johnny’s clinic that night.

For the past several months, the closest thing that he got to asking about _ him _ was on the second day of his training with Donghyuck.

_ “Hey, Donghyuck?” _

_ “Yes?” _

_ “Can I ask you something?” _

_ “...” _

_ “Do you know where _ ** _he_ ** _ is?” _

_ “... No. And I honestly don’t care, Renjun.” _

That was the end of that topic for them.

Of course he understood Donghyuck. His parents were murdered that night as well. Renjun felt bad for asking as soon as he saw the hurt expression on the other’s face.

But he had to voice out his concern. Nobody in the remaining Lee pack would even mention his name, the person who caused the downfall of their pack. Even the news that broke out about the devastating deaths of the great lycan family didn’t give out any information about him.

Renjun’s name was also kept away from the news to protect him from further unnecessary privacy invasion. He was a victim after all, and a still minor then too. His mother made sure that he wouldn’t get the short end of the stick even more so after being the Nogitsune’s unwilling vessel.

Nobody knew where Jeno had gone after that night. All they knew was that he saved Renjun, and buried his sister Yeeun next to the graves of their parents. After that, he vanished without a trace.

No one dared to look for him. No one wanted to. The Lee pack definitely didn’t, after all, he was the reason why the family was slaughtered. Too much damage had already been inflicted on both sides. They didn’t blame Renjun. They blamed the Nogitsune and Jeno for the tragedy that befell upon their house. Two months after the incident, all the remaining Lee’s left Wilhemville to start anew.

But it was unfair. Renjun remembered. He was there that night after all. He couldn’t forget. He would never. Because for all the blue eyed lycan’s faults and flaws, even though he knew that Jeno’s actions may have been inexcusable, they were justifiable. He was trying to protect his sister and his own from suffering the same fate of their parents.

Renjun felt guilty. Of course he did. Everytime he looked at Donghyuck, and saw how the once cheerful sunkissed male had gone cold and distant, he would remember the blood and fire from that night. How it was in his hands that they all died. He could never forget the cries.

But he also knew that it wasn’t his fault. He knew. And he kept reminding himself that everytime the nightmares visit him and wake him in the middle of the night.

“It would still hurt.” Renjun pouted when Jaemin stopped in the middle of the stairs to look back at him. He closed the front door and followed his friend. “And wounds like that are still fatal to us.”

“Tomato, _ to-mah-to, _Renjun.”

When they reached the top of the stairs, Renjun could hear another heartbeat inside Jaemin’s room. It was calm and non-threatening, though, there was something about it that he couldnt put a word in. When they entered the room, Jaemin plopped on his bed, face down.

“Hey, Renjun.” Lucas greeted from the floor, eyes focused on the television screen which showed the game that he was playing.

“What are you playing?” Renjun situated himself beside Lucas and looked at the penguins cooking on the screen.

“I don’t know but we could be co-players. Jaemin doesn’t want to play with me. He said it’s for children. I say he just doesn’t know how to play.”

“It is! It’s for children. We should’ve just played something else!”

Lucas rolled his eyes and handed Renjun another controller. “Ignore him. Let’s play. It’s pretty easy. I’ll teach you.”

For some reason, Lucas always smelled like something burning. It was very faint, but Renjun knew it wasn’t from an external factor. The smell was deeply woven into his scent. He wondered if this was the smell that Jeno mentioned to him once when he stayed over. Renjun didn’t notice it before, but that’s because he still hadn't gotten his super senses then. He remembered Jeno asking if Lucas was anything but human. Now, he’s asking himself the same thing. Maybe the other didn’t know about it yet?

“You’re in my house, did you forget?” Jaemin’s voice brought Renjun back to reality.

“Sure, sure.”

Jaemin only scoffed and pulled his phone out of his pocket to use it when Lucas and Renjun got busy with the game.

Their afternoon went by just like that. Normal, because that’s what teenagers should be.

*

If there’s anything else, normal was the farthest word to describe Renjun. And that’s even before he became a werewolf.

Bland, he could accept. But normal? That just wasn’t him.

It’s been more than a year since he was bitten. The first two months of it were spent training and trying to learn how to control the pull of the moon and the wolf. Now, Renjun could confidently say that he had everything under control. Well, being a werewolf, that was.

Fortunately for him, he still graduated highschool on time. Though, even with his qualifications that could get him into one of the big leagues, he really didn't want to leave home where he knew his mother would be alone so he decided to go to a relatively good university just outside the town of Wilhemville.

Sometimes he would still startle awake at night, soaked in his own perspiration with a hollow in his chest, a lingering reminder that something tar black had been there.

The night terrors didn't really disappear, they just decreased to a point where Renjun could go on for weeks without them. It was getting better.

_ He _ was getting better.

“I need to pee.” Lucas announced.

“Again? What are you, going senile? Hold it in.” Jaemin scoffed.

The three of them were inside Jaemin’s car, cruising through a town Renjun never bothered to remember the name of, a few hours away from Wilhemville. The asphalt road was covered in a thin sheet of melted snow when Renjun looked outside the window to tune out the two’s usual bickering.

It was winter break and Jaemin and Renjun had just picked up Lucas from the airport as he was studying in a university from a different state.

Lucas leaned in from the backseat to frown at Jaemin. “My bladder is literally going to explode if you don’t stop at the next gas station. Or any bush. That slushie I had in the airport was definitely sent from hell.”

“But-”

“Jaemin, we can stop at the next gas station. I want to buy some food for the drive too. We haven’t had dinner yet anyway.” As if on cue, Renjun’s stomach grumbled in agreement. “I’m starving.”

Sighing, Jaemin flicked the signal light and maneuvered to the right lane. “Fine, fine.”

Lucas sputtered. “How come you agreed with him easily?”

“Food, Lucas. Food gets you everything and anywhere with me.” Then Jaemin added. “I also need to fill the gas, too. Renjun, you can buy for dinner, right? We’ll just split the bill when we get home.”

“Hmm.” Renjun only hummed his assent.

The gas station they stopped by had a minimart beside it and Renjun went straight for the store as soon as Jaemin had turned the car engine off to fill up their gas. The place was a bit deserted, considering that the town was a bit far off from the city.

The sun had just set but the store only had him, the bored cashier who was on his phone and another customer idling at the beverage aisle.

Renjun paid them no mind and went straight to peruse the options in the fresh meal section, deciding a second later that he’d just buy one or two of everything and they could choose what to eat later in the car. They were mostly sandwiches and packed lunches anyway. He put them all in the basket he picked up, as well as some bottles of water and a few cans of sodas. He also didn’t forget to pick up some snacks and sweets. And three bananas.

Eyeing the outdated magazines on the rack, he waited patiently for the cashier to finish scanning his purchase.

But all of a sudden, the hair at the back of his neck stood, his senses telling him that there was a lycan nearby.

Now, usually, this wasn’t a big deal as they would just mostly stay out of each other’s way or respectfully co-exist in the same place. Contrary to popular belief, they were not territorial savages. Or most of the supernatural beings he met.

But something told Renjun that this was different. There was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that this was _ familiar. _

With a slight frown, Renjun inclined his head, trying to listen for anything unordinary that would raise his inner wolf’s hackles in alertness like this.

He tried to focus, casting out the normal noises and concentrating on that particular feeling he felt a while ago, holding on to the invisible thread that connected him to the other lycan.

Then, he heard huffs of breath, low and panting, followed by a quiet whine. As if the owner of the noise was in prolonged pain. Renjun’s frown deepened when he realized that the noise was coming just from outside the minimart.

As soon as he paid for his purchase and picked it up, Renjun followed the noise to the side of the store where the bathrooms were located with hurried yet careful footsteps, his heart thudding in his chest in trepidation. He didn’t even know why he was doing this, all he knew was that it just felt right that he was.

Nearing the corner, Renjun was struck with the smell of parched blood from an old wound and something damp, causing him to halt on his tracks, pondering if this was really something he should poke his nose into.

But then again, if someone was in need of help, as a son of a sheriff, it wasn’t in his moral principle to just leave them without checking first.

He inched towards the edge of the wall and tilted his head. There were two different sounds, he realized. There was one taking a leak in the bathroom- Renjun knew it was a person, the way its heart was beating was very human- and the one outside. This one was the lycan, he confirmed. This was also the one who he heard the pained breathing from.

He also knew then that Lucas was already with Jaemin in the car, he could hear them talking as they waited for him. So it wasn’t really like his friends were in danger.

The clanking of chains startled Renjun, as if someone or something moved from the other side, and he knew that it sensed his presence as well. Because of that, he was left with nothing to do but to proceed checking it out, whatever it was.

With a deep breath and his heart ringing loudly in his ears, Renjun rounded the corner. He wasn’t prepared at all for the sight that he saw.

There, sitting on its haunches like a trained pet, was a big black wolf, its eyes gleaming sapphire blues when they locked on Renjun’s golden ones.

His heart might as well have stopped beating right in that moment, breathless at the fact that for all of the times that he had searched for the other, it would be by coincidence that he would find him.

Renjun could recognize that wolf anywhere.

And if Renjun’s heart could shatter into pieces, it would. Because the black wolf looked thin and starved. There were cuts on its face and torso, new and old ones alike. But that wasn’t the worst part.

The worst part was done on its neck. It was chafing, the fur around it damp and matting in dried blood. Renjun could smell the wolfsbane on the material, and he knew then that it must’ve been hurting the other, getting poisoned like that, but not enough to kill him.

The wolf stood on its fours, alert, and Renjun noticed the limp on one of its front paws when it tried to walk towards him. The wolfsbane laced collar must’ve slowed down the wolf’s healing. Its eyes looked panicked. As if telling Renjun to go away and leave.

The chain sounded again when it went taut. The wolf flinched as its head snapped back to the door where the other end of his chain was locked inside through under it. He heard a flush inside the bathroom and his heart lurched to his throat when the wolf let out a soft whimper.

It was then that Renjun knew he had to save the wolf.

Instinctively, he quickly walked towards the wolf and broke the chain with a yank as quietly as he could, thanking everything in existence for the strength he acquired when he became a werewolf. He didn’t bother to check what the ‘owner’ in the bathroom was going to do when he freed the black wolf. He figured anyone who would use a wolfsbane laced collar on a lycan would be someone who didn’t deserve to have time to explain themselves.

Renjun led the way to the car. But when he didn’t hear the wolf following him, he turned around only to see the creature looking terrified.

“Come on.” Renjun whispered, imploring the wolf to trust him. He waited for the wolf to lock its eyes with him again before he spoke. “I won’t hurt you. I never will.” He promised.

They both flinched when they heard the faucet running. And with the promise of safety, the wolf went with him, limping in hurried shuffles as they quickly made their way to the car.

Renjun opened the backseat door for the wolf and it jumped inside, surprising both Lucas, who was sitting in the backseat, and Jaemin, who sputtered at the driver’s seat. He didn’t even have time to go to the passenger seat, he just followed the wolf and shut the door behind them.

“Drive!” Renjun shouted when he heard the bathroom door creaked open.

The panic in his voice must’ve been so obvious that Jaemin ended up stepping on the gas too fast, the car lurching forward quickly.

“What the fuck? Why is there a wolf- Renjun, what the fuck?” Lucas’ voice was high, eyes bulging at the injured wolf in between the two of them as soon as they were on the road.

“Dude, what just happened?” Jaemin demanded.

“It’s Jeno.” Renjun said, stunting the other two into silence. The wolf visibly startled at that, looking at Renjun with wonderment in its eyes. As if he was surprised that Renjun could recognize him even in his miserable appearance and state. He ignored that and turned at Lucas. “Can you remove his collar? It’s hurting him. I can’t touch it since it’s doused in wolfsbane.”

“Uh, s-sure.” Lucas tentatively raised his hands, but the wolf growled.

“Hey, hey.” Renjun gently cupped the wolf’s head and guided it to look at him. The wolf obeyed. “It’s okay. No one’s going to hurt you here. Lucas is just going to remove your collar so the wolfsbane would stop poisoning you and you could heal faster.”

For a moment, the wolf only stared at Renjun. Then, it nosed his hand and slightly nodded his assent. Lucas moved to work and soon, the collar was unlocked.

“What do I do with this?”

“Keep it.” Renjun replied, disgust evident in his voice. “We could get clues about who was his captor from the engraved symbol on the collar.”

*

"I've removed the last bits of wolfsbane from his skin and applied medicine, so he should be able to heal properly now…"

"What is it?" Renjun took one look on Johnny’s expression and knew that there was something wrong.

Johnny sighed, removing the latex gloves from his hands and throwing them to the bin. They were at his clinic, where Renjun asked to be dropped off together with Jeno who was still in wolf form as soon as they arrived in Wilhemville.

Going there, he wasn’t even sure if Johnny, who was the only remaining member of the late Lee pack that stayed in town, would help them. After all, Jeno was someone who had been the cause of their pack’s downfall. And Yeeun’s death.

Renjun didn’t know what was the relationship between the two. All he knew was that Johnny was the most devastated at the late Alpha’s misfortune. He didn’t show it, but everyone could smell the waves of desolation in his heart when the news broke out. Even now, Johnny had a faint smell of sadness woven in his usual scent of magic.

However, one look at Jeno and the animal doctor urged them inside, even if the clinic was already closed. Johnny didn’t even ask questions, he just started working on the wolf’s slow healing wounds.

"Renjun, some of the scars I've seen were months old. Lycans shouldn't even be scarring because of their ability to regenerate. But he has them. And I don't think they will heal. Someone really did a number on him. Tortured and starved him. We don't even know for how long." The older man said, leaning back on one of the metal counters with a pale look on his face. “Right now, I gave him a sedative so he wouldn’t jostle his sprained foot.”

Renjun winced. As far as Johnny had told him a while ago, Jeno had multiple lacerations on different parts of his body, as if he was continuously hit by a whip and cut by something sharp. That wouldn’t even account for the earlier wounds that already healed, and the recent ones that left a scar. His fur had burnt marks, and some of it were carelessly sheared. He was a sight of an absolute total wreck.

Looking back at the peacefully sleeping wolf on the metal table inside the operating room, Renjun couldn’t help but notice how the other had become like this.

Jeno’s black wolf had always looked majestic, his fur was soft to the touch, his body was a symbol of command and vitality. But right now, the wolf looked nothing like how Renjun remembered it.

"Why isn't he turning back?" He whispered.

"I don't know." Johnny shook his head, looking older than his age. "I didn’t sense any external magic on him so that means he isn't cursed by anyone to stay in his wolf form. All we can do is give him time and wait for him to wake up."

Nodding, he didn’t have any words to reply to Johnny, because that was all there was to it.

They didn’t know what happened yet- why Jeno was hurt, who was the man behind the door, why the lycan wouldn't turn back. These questions that they have could only be answered by Jeno.

A clang and a crash resounding from the other room left Renjun and Johnny startled in their places. The two looked at each other.

"Was that-"

"Yes." Johnny nodded.

Renjun cursed. He was too preoccupied by his own thoughts that he didn't hear Jeno wake up.

The two rushed to the next room and found it empty. There were shattered glasses on the floor and the window was broken. Worry found slithered its way in the staccato of Renjun's heart.

He could still smell Jeno's scent inside the room, the smell of fear and anxiety and wounds pungent in the very air that he breathed.

"I'm going to follow him."

Johnny caught his arm and Renjun looked back. The older man must've seen the stubbornness and desperation in his face. He let go.

"Just be careful. We don't know this Jeno anymore."

Renjun turned around and walked towards the door. But before he stepped out, he said, "He's still there somewhere. He's just afraid to come out."

The trail of Jeno's scent led Renjun into the open woods of the Preserve. It was night, but his enhanced senses made it possible for him to see despite the darkness of his surrounding.

Ironically, the night reminded Renjun of the first time he met the lycan. Even if the place was cloaked in a thin layer of snow unlike then, it was the moon that was shining down on the world, a pale light that glittered the dull white dusted earth, that made him feel a little nostalgic.

He ran and ran. He let the frosty wind blow cherry to his cheeks and the tips of his ears. He let the cold smoke come out of his lips.

He chased after the moving black wolf everywhere. He knew the lycan would get tired from running away eventually, he just needed to be patient for Jeno to stop and look back, to see for himself that Renjun was there for him.

"Jeno!" He called out when he realized where the wolf was leading them to.

Abruptly, they crossed the stream that indicated the border inside the Preserve. The familiar uphill. A clearing. A burned down house.

The wolf stopped in its tracks, taking in the sight of a wreckage that he used to call home. Now, it was just an empty shell of what used to be. A haunting memorial of a tragedy.

The wolf looked exhausted. Thin. Frail. Vulnerable before the mercy of his own past. Jeno stepped forward, timid.

"Jeno…" Renjun didn't know what to say. He just watched the wolf move forward to reconcile with his past.

Then, the wolf howled to the house.

The sound was broken and pained. Suffering. As if all the words he wanted to say were poured into that one agonizing scream into the night.

Jeno howled and howled. Like he was crying. Like he was lost. Like he was asking for forgiveness he knew he wouldn't be able to get.

Wolves couldn't cry. And so Jeno howled for a long time.

Renjun stood there in silence, not realizing that there were tears falling from his eyes. Maybe he was crying for Jeno. Or maybe, he was crying for all of the people who have lost their lives, both living and the dead.

When the wolf finally ran out of things he wanted to say, huffing and sniffing the ground. Renjun took that as a chance to approach the other.

The wolf whipped its head in his direction, eyes flashing blue and lips curling to show his fangs defensively. The wolf growled and Renjun's eyes sparkled golden in return.

A warning. A truce.

"It's okay."

Renjun walked calmly, letting his guard down and making himself look non-threatening. When there was only a few steps between them, the wolf's growls turned louder but it didn't move. Jeno just stood there defensively, like a spooked cornered animal.

He slowly knelt down in front of the wolf, knees sinking on the snow. Jeno looked unsure and confused, but still, he didn't move. Maybe he was afraid that if he did, something bad was going to happen to him. Maybe, he got used to that kind of mindset for the past year.

Carefully, Renjun reached out. Jeno flinched at the touch.

"You're home. You're safe." If Renjun could engrave the words to Jeno's heart and mind, he would. But he couldn't, so he just pulled the docile lycan in his arms with all the care in the world.

Here was a person who once lost his way in search for justice and retribution. Someone who was broken but still found a way to make others feel safe and loved. A person who knew that he was flawed and full of faults, but still wanted to be saved.

Renjun cried for that person. Because he wanted to help him, but he had no clue where to start. For now, he could only offer him comfort and reassurance.

For a while, none of them moved and Renjun just kept spilling tears for both of them. But then, Jeno stepped closer and inhaled his scent, tucking his nose in Renjun's shoulder.

The tenseness left the wolf's body as if finally realizing that he was, indeed, not near any danger anymore. That he was safe.

"Everything is going to be alright now, Jeno."

And that was a promise Renjun swore to keep.

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has always been the ending to their story.
> 
> I would LOVE to hear what you thought about this fic.
> 
> Comments, kudos, bookmarks, all those thingies, are very much appreciated.
> 
> Hit me up!  
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